Pokéquest: Enter White Academy
by Rainhealsme
Summary: The time has come to determine who is really the best of the best as the trainers of White Academy gather to compete in a grand tournament. And this time, it's winner takes all. [UNDER HEAVY EDITING!]
1. Chapter 1

**Revised: 06/10/12**

**Disclaimer:** Read my lips. Oh that's right you can't…okay then, read my text; I do not own anything but story's plot, and some OCs. Other OC's © respective authors.

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><p>Naruto was lying peacefully in his bed, when suddenly his Pokétch began beeping. His eyes opened, presenting his shiny blue orbs to the world. The young trainer picked up his beeping watch and looked at it.<p>

The current time read 7:00 a.m., and **"Academy Exams Today"** was flashing in big black letters on the calendar function on the small screen.

_Wait a minute...that's today?_ Naruto's eyes widened as he read the message repeatedly in disbelief.

Then, he spotted a magazine on his dresser. Naruto reached for it, and began skimming through the pages until he came across a flyer. On it was his father Minato, and his most trusted partners Kyuubi "Ninetails", Braviary, Salamence, Sawsbuck, Escavalier, and Kingdra. Currently, he was the champion of Unova.

_Look out, Dad,_ Naruto grinned still staring at his father's photo. _Because when I graduate from White Academy, I'm coming to battle you._

"I've got to get ready," he said climbing out of bed. From there, he headed towards his personal bathroom to wash up and get dress.

For his apparel, Naruto chose to wear a black shirt with a picture of an orange Pokéball on the front, and over it, he wore an orange jacket. His pants were tan and long. Almost long enough to completely cover up his black sneakers. The last thing to do was to brush his teeth, which didn't take him long. Naruto took one last look into his mirror and gave himself a hard stare, and then he smiled.

"Okay today's the day," he said. "Today, I officially become a Pokémon Trainer!"

Chapter One: A New School, A New Beginning.

After getting dress, Naruto grabbed his backpack before heading down stairs with his mother and younger sister in the kitchen. Instead of eating her breakfast as she should have, Naruto's younger sibling, Yomi was pretending to be a trainer with her mother's Glameow.

Yomi sat down one of her Pokédolls in front of the sleeping Glameow.

"Okay, Glameow," she said, pointing at the stuffed toy. "I want you use Shadow Claw."

Yomi's command was basic. Instead of attacking the doll, Glameow yawned and continued with his mid-morning nap.

Yomi frowned. "Stubborn cat Pokémon," she grumbled, picking up her toy and sitting it on a chair beside her.

Naruto just chuckled and poured himself some cereal in a glass bowel. Once he was settled, Naruto reached for the TV remote turning the sound up to a descent volume.** "Search for the red Gyarados" **was being broadcasted from Lake Verity-a tourist site not too far from Jubilife.

"Despite the exploration team's best efforts, however, the rare, oddly colored Pokémon eluded detection. The rumored red Gyarados failed to appear, even fleetingly, to the crestfallen team…" The narrator said.

"That concludes our special report; **"Search for the Red Gyarados!"** the announcer on the television replied." Brought to you by Jubilife TV on Nationwide Net! See you next week!"

_Wow. To think, a Pokémon like that could have actually existed somewhere in the world... _Naruto thought with a smile. _It makes me envious._

"Ah. I see you're awake, finally." His mother, Kushina said, as she walked into the kitchen wearing one of her best dress suits. Kushina was the head battler of Sinnoh's new Battling Company. With her Garchomp by her side, there was currently no competition for her position.

"Are you ready to go?" Kushina took a seat at the table and began typing on her laptop.

Naruto just nodded and briefly peered at the kitchen clock on the wall. Currently, the time was 8:01-just hours, before his real journey into Unova began.

"Well, I better go before I'm late," he said giving his mother a quick kiss on the cheek, and grabbing his bag from the counter. "Bye, Mom. Bye Yomi."

One his way out the door, Naruto bumped into a teenaged girl named Hana. Hana was the older sister of his neighbor Kiba, and Yomi's babysitter while his parents were at work since she lived close by.

"Kiba's already on his way to the Pokémon Center in Canalave," Hana explained to him. "You'd better hurry if you want to catch him, but I doubt that you will. My little brother will never slow down…"

And with that, Naruto headed towards the Pokémon Center, which was a couple blocks away from his apartment building. Inside, there were other trainers either sitting and relaxing, or getting their teams checked out by Nurse Shizune. Naruto took two Pokéballs and an egg from his bag. Inside of the red and white balls were his Pokémon Tepig and Pansage. However, the egg was different story.

Naruto had stumbled upon the mysterious egg one day after a day of training with Tepig and Pansage. And until this very day, the Pokémon inside of it has remained a secret.

"Naruto…?" someone suddenly said.

From the sound of the voice, Naruto swerved his head around, coming face to face to with a girl named Haruno Sakura. Sakura was wearing her green headband over her unusual pink hair, a short-sleeved red shirt that matched her shoes and red skirt that reached her knees. She also wore a pair of green tights under her skirt. Following close behind her, were her Pokémon Skitty and Munna.

"Hey, Naruto," she said to him. "I just caught my third Pokémon! Take a look at it."

In her arms, Sakura held a young Lillipup. Lillipup had the appearance of small Scottish terrier puppy, large eyes and a red nose, with his face covered by an abundance of cream fur.

"Isn't he the cutest thing?" Sakura petted Lillipup's head happily. "And it's all thanks to Skitty that I have him and my Munna in that massive outbreak of new species."

Naruto nodded, and remember the outbreak of new Pokémon in Sinnoh. It was how he'd caught his Pansage, and right around the same time that the mysterious egg had appeared.

"You did a great job, Skitty," Sakura smiled at her oddly colored kitten.

Hearing her trainer's praise made Skitty one happy cat Pokémon. The oddly colored kitten rubbed her head against Sakura's leg, and purred as Sakura bent down to pet her. Munna on the other hand was a strange psychic Pokémon that looked as if she were a tapirs or a pig. Her body is also rounded and stubby-limbed, giving her a lumpy appearance, with pink-and-purple floral patterns along the back and underside.

Naruto grinned petting Lillipup for himself. "That's great," he congratulated his childhood friend.

"So...did your egg hatch, yet?" Sakura suddenly ask. "Mistress Tsunade said that it was important for us to make sure that each of had acquired at least three Pokémon before the exams."

"She did...?" Naruto scratched his cheek sheepishly.

Sakura sighed a little. Sometimes, Naruto was just so clueless.

"Yes she _did_, Naruto." she answered. "In order to get our trainer's cards, we must use our Pokémon in a three on three battles. The winner of course gets their trainer card and a free ticket into the academy."

Naruto looked down at his egg-it was smooth and warm. And every now and then, it would move. Sakura looked at the egg curiously, as she sat down Lillipup to play with Munna and Skitty.

"Wow...it's so pretty," she said still looking at the egg.

"Yeah, but I wonder what going to come out of it...?" Naruto replied.

"Come out of what?" A voice familiar voice questioned.

Naruto and Sakura looked away from the egg only to see Kiba standing there-his tiny partner in crime, Akamaru the Poochyena was beside him. Kiba wore his navy blue and black hooded shirt with matching black shorts and skater shoes. A navy blue bag was slung lazily over his shoulder.

"We were just wondering about Naruto's egg," Sakura explained. "It's looks so mysterious..."

Naruto held up his egg, and Kiba took a good long look at it.

"Huh. It is pretty freaky looking..." his gaze still fixated on the egg. "What do you think Akamaru?"

Poochyena, or in this case, Akamaru is a small hyena-like Pokémon with grey and black fur, red eyes, and long bushy tail. The pup sniffed the egg a couple of times before replying, "Arf,"

"But," Kiba reached into his pocket and pulled out two Pokéballs. "My Blitzle and Eevee are guaranteed to be stronger."

Kiba's Blitzle appeared to be a white-on-black zebra Pokémon, with thick, pointed white stripes on his neck, chest, back and hind legs. He also has a large, rounded dark nose, and oval eyes with blue irises and yellow sclera.

Eevee on the other hand is a mammalian creature with brown fur, a bushy tail that has a cream-colored tip, and a furry collar that is also cream-colored. He also has four short, feline-esque legs with three small toes on each foot, brown eyes, big ears, and pink paw pads.

"Oh!" Sakura suddenly reached into her fanny pack and pulled out a device called a Pokédex.

"Since the outbreak, my parents have been researching nonstop on any and every Pokémon that they can," She said as her small pink device scanned Kiba's Pokémon. The information was displayed in an instant.

_**Blitzle: **__The Electrified Pokémon._

_Its mane shines when it discharges electricity. They use their flashing manes to communicate with one another._

_**Eevee: **__The evolution Pokémon._

_A rare Pokémon that adapts to harsh environments by taking on different evolutionary forms._

_**Poochyena: **__The bite Pokémon._

_A Pokémon with a persistent nature, it chases its chosen prey until the prey becomes exhausted._

"Oh, that's right. Your parents are scientists." Naruto said, and Sakura nodded.

"And my older brother, Rector is a gym leader," she said. "Unlike them, I plan on becoming a famous coordinator."

For a couple more hours, the gang sat around the Pokémon Center chatting about what they would like to accomplish once graduation day came to the academy. While Sakura wanted to prepare her team for contest, Kiba and Naruto wanted to travel and collect badges from different regions.

At 9:30, the three of them walked down to the town's harbor.

"Tickets, please," one of the sailors asked holding out his hands. Each of them handed the man a golden ticket.

Other than the three of them, there was also four other trainers. The first was a young boy with onyx eyes wearing a blue jacket over a white t-shirt, black jeans, and blue sneakers. A one-strapped grey bag sat beside him. Instead of chatting with the other trainers, he sat alone in the corner reading a book.

The other three trainers all wore school uniforms. The shortest and presumed to be the youngest had white hair sat looking out of the window with bored expression on his pale face. His older sister with long red hair and wearing a sailor-type uniform was busy brushing the fur on her Tepig. The last and oldest sibling was a teenaged boy with green spiky hair. He was also wearing a Gakuran style uniform, and was flirting with one of the female waiters. The only thing the three of them seemed to have in common were their serpent-like yellow eyes. The gang had decided to take their seats near the three of them.

"From here, we're headed to White Academy," Sakura said. Skitty was sleeping in her lap. "I'm getting nerves just thinking about the entry exams."

"Well I'm not," Kiba said proudly. "I've trained day and night for this, and I'm not about to lose to a bunch of beginners."

Naruto chuckled. Of course, Kiba would say something like that. He'd been that way since the three of them were short, chubby cheeked, and dreamed of getting their first Pokémon.

Since Naruto and his friends were so close to him, the boy with the snowy hair suddenly turned his attention away from the window, and directed it at the egg in Naruto's arms. Before leaving for the harbor, Nurse Shizune had given him a protective glass cover egg to keep it away from harm's way.

_Interesting... _The boy thought to himself. A mischievous grin etched his face.

"Hey, you," he said gaining everyone's attention as he approached. "You with the strange egg, let me see it for a minute."

At first, Naruto didn't think it was such a bright idea to just hand over his Pokémon egg over to some stranger. But, the kid standing in front of him didn't look too much older than himself, Naruto decided to let have a look.

"Hmm..." the boy stared at the egg for a short while, and then he handed it back to Naruto.

"I would like to propose a single battle between us," The boy pulled out a Pokéball. "If I win, you hand over that egg of yours."

Naruto glared at him. "And if I win?" he questioned.

The boy shrugged his shoulders. "I guess you can keep It." he answered. "So, is it agreed?"

Naruto nodded, and reached for a Pokéball of his own. But, not before handing Sakura his egg for safekeeping. From here, the battle had started, and challenger was the first to make his move.

"Glaceon, front and center!" he called out as he tossed the Pokéball in his hand. From the inside, popped out a beautiful blue fox-like Pokémon with long bangs, and pointy ears. The entry on Sakura's Pokédex was read as such;

_**Glaceon**__- The Fresh Snow Pokémon._

_As a protective technique, it can completely freeze its fur to make its hair stand like needles._

"Allow me to introduce you to my Glaceon. She's been looking to use weaker Pokémon for her daily target practice. And that's where you and your Pokémon come in." The boy said, with a small smirk.

"Ignore him, Naruto." Sakura said. "It says here that Glaceon is ice type Pokémon, and is weak against fire and ground based attacks."

Naruto perked up. "Fire..?" He repeated. And then suddenly, he grinned, reaching for Tepig's Pokéball.

"Come on out, Tepig!" he shouted.

In a sudden burst of light appeared Tepig. Tepig has large, ovular eyes, an archetypically snout-like nose, and a thick stripe of yellow over it. Tepig has short legs, with the extremities of his forefeet being black in coloration. There is also a band of black on his lower back and rear, from which stretches his coiled tail, topped with a ruddy-red bauble-like adornment.

Sakura's Pokédex scanned the cute fire pig instantly.

_**Tepig: **__The fire pig Pokémon._

_It blows fire through its nose. When it catches a cold, the fire becomes pitch-black instead._

"Glaceon, use Ice Beam!" the boy shouted, pointing at Tepig.

"Tepig you use Defense Curl!" Naruto called out.

On her trainer's command, Glaceon shot a stream of bone chilling air at Tepig. But just before the attack could make contact, Tepig curled up into a ball to avoid taking serious damage.

"Now use Ember!" Naruto said.

Almost immediately, Tepig shook the ice from his body, and stood up. After that, the small fire pig took in a deep breath before firing a barrage of tiny sparks at Glaceon from his nose.

"Oh no, you don't." the boy growled. "Glaceon, counter it with Water Pulse!"

Tepig's fire, colliding with Glaceon's water created a cloud of steam, which covered the entire ship. Once the smoke cleared, both Pokémon were seen in their same battling position. Seeing this, both trainers were about to call out their next commands.

"Use Ember once more, Tepig!" Naruto yelled.

"And you use Double Team, Glaceon!" the snowy haired challenger shouted.

Just as Tepig's attack was about to make contact, Glaceon created several doppelgangers of herself. Tepig looked around at each of them, slightly confused as he tried to figure out which one was the original Glaceon.

"Now use Water Pulse!" the boy said.

And then, all at once, Glaceon and her copies blasted Tepig with large rings of water. Poor Tepig fainted instantly from the attack, and Naruto gritted his teeth in anger as he returned Tepig to his Pokéball.

"Here," Naruto received his egg from Sakura and was on the verge of handing it over to the boy with white hair. "You won the battle so..."

"Forget it," The boy cut him off. "I lied about taking your egg. I only said that as a way getting you to battle me. I knew that if you had something precious on the line, you would use every bit of your partner's power to get it back."

Hearing this, Naruto felt relived. But at the same time, he felt confused. Just who was this boy? And why in world was he testing him? He wondered as the boy walked back to seat.

"Look! I can see the academy from here!" Sakura said as the boat moved closer to land.

Out of curiosity, Naruto and Kiba peered out of windows of boat. And sure enough, getting closer by the second, was White Academy. The school was almost completely hidden by rows and rows of trees, which means there were plenty of Pokémon living around the school itself. Naruto could wait to reach the shore and start training his Pokémon.

The young trainer stepped onto the shore with his friends and the other passengers after waving goodbye to the sailors on the boat.

_Alright White Academy,_ Naruto thought to himself as the boat began to sail into a different direction. _Here I come!_

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Well, that's chapter one. How was it? Hopefully, it's a little more original than most of the other Naruto and Pokémon crossovers. And unlike my older story, I'm going to allow you readers to send in some of your OCs to take part in some of their chapters. Best take this opportunity while you can. The sign up form is below.

_~ Welcome to the White Academy, one of the highest ranked Pokémon academy that strives to help you achieve your dreams, both academically and spiritually. Due to careful consideration, you have been accepted into our beloved school, which has produced 97% of the worlds top Trainers, Coordinators, Professors and Breeders. We do expect you to direct your precious time towards you academic studies, but also hope you take time to enjoy the wonders of the campus and nearby scenery. We hope that do consider the chances of your success at our school and join us, at the White Academy. ~_

_Signed, Mistress Tsunade and the Staff_

**White Academy Sign Up Sheet- (Note: This must be sent by PM only)**

**Name: **Your characters has to have a name. What is it? Since the Pokémon world is similar to Japan, and shares its customs, last names come first. (Example: Namikaze Naruto)

**Nickname: **Does your character have a nickname? Type it here.

**Age:** Beginner trainers must be at least the age of twelve. Any younger, and your OC will not qualify.

**Hometown: **Your characters hometown may be from any within the five regions, so pick whichever one you want.

**Accomplishments: **Tell me the places that your characters finished in other tournaments and make it realistic. Also, characters that are younger than sixteen who have competed in the Pokémon League will be ignored, and considered a Mary/Gary-sue.

**Appearance: **What color is the character's eyes, skin, and hair? How tall are they? And, what nationality are they?

**Clothing/Accessories: **Please give me a detailed description of what clothes your OC or OCs wears. Links are also helpful.

**Background: **Most characters have a background. What's yours?

**Personality: **How does your character act around others? Do they have rivals or love interests?

**Battle Style: **Tell me how your OC battles.

**Battle Cry:** Everyone has a battle cry that they are known for. Like Ash, who says "I choose you (Pokémon)!"

**(*Optional) Love Interest (It doesn't matter if it's another OC or canon character. However, it's 'first come first serve' for those who choose canon characters):** Any character besides Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, Lee, and TenTen and Sakura are free to who ever chooses first.

**Friends and Rivals:** Easy enough, right? Just be sure to separate the two so that I will know who's who.

**(*Optional*) Pokémon That Stays Out Of His or Her Ball: **If you want you select one Pokémon to stay out of its ball for most of the time, and if it does then it has to be for the most part a small. Massive Pokémon like Onix do not count.

**Favorite Attributes/Elements: **Just give me two or three elements that you think resemble your OCs.

**Dorm: **Where does your character reside in the academy? Pick from Entei Red (character must be from the ages of 12-13), Raikou Yellow (Ages 13-15), and Suicune Blue (Ages 16-18).

**Pokémon: **What's are your character's partners? If your character is participating within the tournament, then only three to four Pokémon are allowed.

**The restrictions are as followed:**

**1.)** No legendary Pokémon of any kind.

**2.) **You may pick one or two pseudo legendary if you really need to.

**3.)** You can only have one starter Pokémon out of the fifteen that are available.

**4.)** You may pick any four to six Pokémon you want from the five generations, and no teams of all Magikarp or entire teams of shiny Pokémon/Eevee-evolutions.

**Name: **Give me the name of you Pokémon. Fill more than one of these out for each Pokémon. If the Pokémon has a nickname, then type it here, and put the original name in parenthesis. Example: Akamaru (Poochyena)  
><strong>Type: <strong>Tell me the type/types that your Pokémon have.  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Boy or girl, once again pick one, not very difficult.  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Only one ability allowed. It maybe hidden or common, but not both.  
><strong>History: <strong>Pokémon have backgrounds and personalities. Type it here.

**Moves:** Only four moves per Pokémon. If you can't choose, then list some moves here, and I'll pick from the list.

**Sides: **There are four different sides that you could submit your OCs for, this is very important.

**1.) Being a part of the main characters group: (All positions are filled for season 1) **Basically means that your OC will be in most of the story weather it be battling in the tournament or watching other battle and helping to fight off the forces of evil which will take place throughout the story.

**2.) Being a rival: (All positions are filled for season 1) **So far, most of the characters have rivals. Like Paul is to Ash, your OC will be a rival to another character.

**3.) Being a part of the side of evil: (Currently Open)** Here, characters work for Orochimaru. They maybe undercover students, or grunt members.

**4.) Random Battler/Victory Tournament Participant: (Position is available to anyone, and is currently open) **do you want your character to go up against one of the main characters? Then this is the position for you.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: The Academy Tryouts.

While Kiba and Sakura were waiting at the stadium, Naruto and Pokémon took the time to explore the school. Other than being a school for trainers, White Academy had an inventive side as well. Most of the buildings were designed after old-fashion European homes, and row after row of blooming berry trees aliened the streets of the campus. Occasionally, students could be seen practicing their fencing, or riding their Rapidash. The school looked as if it had been designed from a Medieval Renaissance fair. Just being here gave Naruto the feeling that a fierce dragon Pokémon like Salamence or Flygon could pass over or possibly attack the school.

But what are the chances of that happening?

After passing by the school's chapel, Naruto had come upon a circular statue. This particular statue was a tribute to the school's protector: Zekrom. Taking a closer look at the statue Naruto reached his hand out to touch the statue, when part of it broke off, and fell to the ground with a thud.

_Oh man..._ At first, Naruto tried fixing the statue back, by placing the broken piece back into its original place. But, as you can guess, things didn't go so well.

Naruto glared at the statue piece. _Great...now what am I supposed to do with this? _He thought to himself.

Taking off his backpack, Naruto unzipped it, and pulled out the container with his egg inside of it. From there, he'd decided to just hide the statue piece in his bag until he could get his hands on some glue or a bug Pokémon that's able to use String Shot.

"Legend speaks of the Yin and Yang dragons that protected this school hundreds of years ago..." Someone said, causing Naruto jump in the process.

Turning around from the sound the unfamiliar voice, Naruto came face to face with a mysterious pale man wearing a black suit, with a crimson dress tie. His hair was long and black, and his skin was pale.

"It's not very often to see a student so intrigued by this school's history," The man continued, taking a closer look at statue.

"Oh, I'm not a student just yet," Naruto replied. "I still have to take the entry exam."

Instead of redirecting his attention back at the statue, the man glanced at the egg Naruto held.

"This egg of yours...it speaks to me..." he said touching the protective glass, and Naruto raised one of his eye brows. "It says that it's ready to hatch."

Naruto peered at his Pokémon egg. _Hmm, I wonder..._

It wasn't long before the egg itself had answered that question. Within a few seconds, the egg had started to glow, and eventually, started to crack open. Sitting the case down, and uncovering it, Naruto watched closely as the rest of shell broke away, finally solving the mystery of the egg. The Pokémon that had just hatched appeared to be a small black fox. The creature's ears are triangular shaped with dark insides, and she has a large, whorled scruff of fur on her head, tipped with red coloration. Her eyes appear to have no pupils, and her eyelids and circular "eyebrow" markings are red. Around her neck, was a ruff of black fur which was puffy just like her tail.

"Zorua..." she cooed, and the fangs inside of her mouth became visible.

Before he could do anything else, the Pokétch on Naruto's wrist began making a loud beeping noise signaling that it had scanned Zorua. Naruto tapped it, and Zorua's moves were displayed in a matter of seconds: Leer, Hone Claws, Shadow Ball, and Dark Pulse.

Deciding that he should thank the professor, Naruto turned to look at him with a smile.

"Thanks," he said. "Uh...?"

"Orochimaru," the man said. "I'm a professor here at the school."

After a short introduction, Orochimaru walked off into a different direction, leaving Naruto alone to collect his thoughts.

Naruto crossed his arms. _This place just keeps getting stranger and stranger by the minute... _And then he smiled, remembering that he had part of the statue in his bag. _But, at least his didn't notice the broken statue. _

**"Numbers 615-625 please report to the battling stadium," **a voice over the school's intercom said, and Naruto reached into his pocket pulling out a small red ticket.

"Looks like we're up," he said to his Pokémon. "Let's get going."

Once he had arrived at the stadium, Naruto looked around. Most of the matches from before were already finished. But the match between Kiba and another trainer was about to reach it's breaking point. One side of the grassy battling field stood Blitzle and Eevee. And on the other, were two Pokémon known as Deerling and Aipom.

Aipom appear to be similar to purple monkeys, with beige color on their faces, ear insides, belly, feet and tails. Its face has round eyes and a constantly cheeky smile. Along it's heads are large, oval-shaped ears and a cowlick. Aipom's arms are completely purple with no actual paws nor fingers present, while they do have visible feet instead. The most famous feature of this arboreal Pokémon is the three-fingered hand on the end of its tail.

Deerling on the other hand is a fawn-like Pokémon, most resembling a fallow deer. The upper side of its body is colored pink, and is rimmed and dappled with yellow patterns, with the underside of its body being a lighter beige shade. It also sports a yellowish-colored, floral tuft on its head, and similar yellow coloration on the ear insides of its tapering ears. The tips of its limbs are colored black and its pink tail is small.

"Blitzle use Flame Charge!" Kiba called out to his partners. "And Eevee, you use Iron Tail!"

Eevee dashed after Deerling, while storing power within his tail. To fend off the small the fox, Deerling attacking Eevee with its Take Down attack. Smoothly, Eevee dodged the attack, and then tripped Deerling with Iron Tail. Following up to that, Blitzle tackled Deerling with Flame Charge, and the small fawn was sent flying sky-high into the air.

"Return Deerling," the opposing trainer recalled his Pokémon before it came crashing down onto the field. And then he shouted out his command. "Aipom, attack with Shadow Claw!"

The palm of Aipom's tail began to glow with a strange purple aura, before swiping it at Blitzle. Blitzle didn't have much time to dodge, so the attack was a success for Aipom, and Blitzle crashed to the ground.

"I think so," Kiba growled. "Blitzle get up!"

Shaking off the pain, Blitzle resumed his battle position. Even after being hit with such a critical attack.

"Eevee, you use Bite!" Kiba called.

"Agility, Aipom!" the other trainer shouted.

As Eevee rushed forward, Aipom suddenly increased it's speed, and dodged as Eevee tried chomping it with his sharp fangs. The particular pattern went on for a short while, until Kiba found a loop hole.

"Quick, Eevee! Grab onto Aipom's tail!" he shouted.

Eevee gave a quick nod, and then waited for the perfect moment to clamp his fangs down onto the opponent's tail. Aipom cried out in pain, and tried shaking Eevee off.

"It's time to end this." Kiba smirked. "Blitzle used Flame Charge at full power!"

Blitzle braced himself for the attack by taking in a deep breath. And then, as he charged forward, a coat of blazing fire surrounded Blitzle making him look as if he were a deadly flaming arrow. By then, Aipom had shaken Eevee from its tail, and had attacked him with Fury Swipes. But, nothing had prepared it for what was about to happen. Blitzle tackled the purple primate with every ounce of power hit had. As a result, Aipom was knocked into the air. And, as an added bonus, Eevee use Iron Tail on Aipom before it could hit ground, and sent it flying at its trainer. It was no doubt that Inuzuka Kiba and his team was the winners of this battle.

In the stands, Naruto just smirked as he watched Kiba return Blitzle and Eevee to their Pokéballs. _Nice work Kiba. I knew you had it in you._

"Congrats young trainer," a man by the name of Kakashi Hatake was the battling instructor of the stadium along with Asuma Sarutobi. With a friendly smile, he handed Kiba his training card. "I look forward to seeing you in my class tomorrow."

"You can count it," Kiba received his card from Kakashi, and met up with Naruto in the stands.

Back in the stands Naruto was preparing his team for their upcoming match.

"Okay Tepig and Pansage," he said. "You two will be partners for the match."

Tepig and Pansage looked at each and smiled. The two of them shared a brotherly relationship, even though they were two different species.

"But now, what am I going to do with you?" Naruto glanced at Zorua.

Zorua was a newborn. And for her safety, Naruto didn't want to be so quick to send her into battle.

"Wait a minute..." Naruto suddenly reached into his bag, and pulled an item called the EXP. share. The item appeared to be a crown of some sort.

The young trainer placed the item onto Zorua's head, and she began to scratch at it. "With this, I'll be able to train you even though you're not in battle."

"Check it out," Kiba held up his card, causing it to shine in the florescent lighting. "This officially makes me a trainer."

Naruto just grinned. "Not bad. But just you wait; I'll have my trainer card too,"

**"Numbers 617 and 618, please report to the battle field." **The announcer said.

"Looks like I'm up," Naruto returned his Pokémon to their Pokéballs; all except Zorua, and then entered the battle arena.

"Don't show them any mercy, Naruto!" Kiba called out to him, and Naruto gave him two thumbs up before the match at started.

For this battle, the stadium was going to take place on a rugged mountain platform. On one side of the field, Naruto took his position—and on the other stood another trainer around his age.

"This battle will be double match," Kakashi said. "Nor trainer is allowed to switch out their Pokémon, and item usage is forbidden. Does everyone follow?"

Both trainers nodded.

"Then, go!"

"Tepig, Pansage, come on out!" Naruto tossed the Pokéballs of his partners, releasing them. Both Pokémon took their positions, and waited for the opponent to make a move.

"Let's go, Panpour and Emolga!" she called. From within a burst of a light appeared two small Pokémon. Pansage and Tepig looked at their opponent's taking in each and every detail that they could.

Panpour is a primate-like, blue-and-yellow Water-type Pokémon. The proportion of its head and large ears are similar to that of an Aipom. The upper half of its head and the puffy, wave-like feature atop is blue. Its eyes are shaped like ovals, and the lower half of its face is yellow with a small, dot-like nose. The Pokémon's upper body and its skinny forelimbs are colored yellow, and its hands seem to have no fingers, aside from thumbs. Panpour's lower body is also yellow with small feet, and its wiry tail is tipped with a clover-shaped feature.

Emolga, on the other hand, is a squirrel-like Pokémon, primarily white in coloration, that most resembles a flying squirrel. It possesses facial features include its eyes, a tiny nose, and yellow cheek patches. Its ears are round in shape and black in coloration, with yellow and white sections of coloration in the inside of its ears. Emolga sports a vaguely hood-like patterning of black around its head, with a spiky extension of the pattern above its face. Emolga also possesses wing-like, yellow-colored flaps connected to its three-fingered arms. The creature's feet are white-colored and fairly small and its black-colored tail is in a jagged shape.

Naruto was first to call out his commands.

"Tepig use Ember!" he pointed at Emolga. "Pansage, you use Bite!"

Both Pokémon ran forth and tried attacking Emolga. Tepig snorted out tiny sparks of fire from his nose, while Pansage chomped at Emolga with his sharp fangs.

"Dodge it Emolga!" the female trainer called, and Emolga soared into the air dodging both attacks. "Now use Aerial Ace!"

Not soon after it had flew into the air, Emolga flew overhead of Pansage, and then attacked the small green primate from the air. Pansage crashed to the ground, causing Tepig glared at Emolga and chased after it while using Ember.

"Panpour use Scald!" Seeing that Tepig's back was turned, and his attention was focused on getting revenge for Pansage, the other trainer found that this was the best opportunity to have Panpour attack.

Panpour approached Tepig, and released boiling hot water from the puff on top of its head. Naruto gritted his teeth as Tepig fell to the ground.

_Looks like I'm going to have to switch up my tactics,_ he thought. _Let's see if I can turn this battle around._

"Pansage, Tepig, get up." For his first part of his plan, Naruto needed his Pokémon to regain their posture. Even though the two of them had taken critical damage, both Pansage and Tepig shook off their pain.

_Now, since items aren't allowed, then Pansage is going to have to something about their health. _And then he called to his Pokémon. "Pansage, use Leech Seed!"

Pansage approached Emolga and Panpour, and then released a handful of mysterious seeds at the two of them. Emolga flew into the air to avoid the attack. But Panpour wasn't so lucky. The strange seed released vine-like plants at Panpour, and clung onto it, and began absorbing Panpour's energy. The stolen energy was then transferred over to Pansage and Tepig. An elegant green aura surrounded Naruto's team, healing them on contact.

_Perfect._ Naruto thought with a smile. _Now for part two._

"Tepig, use Tackle on Panpour!" he called.

After regaining nearly all of his health back, Tepig was ready to battle again. The small piglet ran forward, and slammed his body into Panpour's. Panpour had then tried attacking Tepig with its Fury Swipes attack, forgetting the fact that Pansage was still in the battle.

Naruto smiled. "Good," and then he called out to Pansage. "Pansage, now you attack with Energy Ball!"

By drawing in all of the energy from all of the plants around him, Pansage was able to manifest a glowing sphere of energy from them. Pansage threw the glowing sphere at both Tepig and Panpour, but luckily Tepig was smart enough to move out of the way. The powerful attack had caused the opponent's Panpour to faint on contact, and it's trainer recalled it.

_Well that's it for Panpour,_ Naruto thought happily. After that, he glanced back at the stands where Zorua was waiting with Kiba and Akamaru.

Zorua was still scratching at the EXP. Share when a beautiful sapphire aura surrounded her body. Once his Pokétch had started beeping, Naruto knew what this meant-Zorua was leveling up, and quickly.

As a shadow suddenly passed over his head, Naruto had then remembered Emolga was still in battle. _Now all we have to do is beat Emolga, and we're in._

"Emolga, use Aerial Ace!" The other trainer shouted, and Emolga dove straight for Pansage.

As Pansage dunked his head to avoid the attack, Tepig glared daggers at Emolga. Pansage may have gotten some of his HP back, but would he survive another Aerial Ace attack from Emolga? Tepig wasn't about to find out. Snorting out steam from his nose, Tepig charged at Emolga as it grew closer to the ground coated in fire.

"Huh?" Naruto looked down at his Pokétch. Tepig's moves popped up onto the screen. And from the look of it, Ember had been replaced by a different move.

Kiba seemed just as surprised as Naruto.

"No way," Kiba was on the edge of his seat. "That's..."

"Flame Charge...?" Naruto questioned as he watched Tepig slam into Emolga, and creating a fiery explosion.

Emolga fell to the ground. But as it got ready to get up and fly again, Pansage send a ball of energy flying straight for Emolga. For second, and final time, Emolga crashed to ground, and it's trainer recalled it, naming Naruto the winner of the battle.

"Alright!" Naruto ran out to the battling field and petted his Pokémon over their heads. "You two did great out there!"

After that, Kakashi approached the young trainer. In his hand, he held Naruto's golden ticket into White Academy-his trainer card.

"Nice work young trainer," the silver headed man congratulated Naruto, handing him trainer card. "Welcome to White Academy."

Naruto happily received his card, returned his Pokémon to their balls, and joined back up with Kiba and Zorua in the stands. Around the same time, Sakura was running towards the two of them with a trainer card of her own.

"Looks like we have our cards now," Sakura said with a smile. "Now, all we have to do is graduate from the school."

"I wonder how long that'll take us take…?" Kiba questioned.

"Let's see...since we just started, we're at an Entei level," Sakura explained. "If we play our cards right, we should be able to reach Raikou level this semester, and then Suicune next semester."

"That doesn't sound too bad," Naruto replied. "It'll give us enough time to train and get to know our partners."

"Speaking of which..." Sakura kneeled down at petted Zorua on her head. Zorua just stared at her. "Who does this little cutie belong too?"

"She hatched out of the egg I found," Naruto answered. "And just before I was called into battle."

While Kiba took a better look at Zorua, Sakura pulled out her Pokédex and scanned the small black fox. Her small pink device made a beeping sound, and Sakura frowned.

"That's odd...my Pokédex isn't picking anything up..." she said quietly.

Then, deciding that one missing entry wasn't a problem, Sakura stood up.

"For now, we need head to our dorms and unpack." She sighed. "I heard that our room numbers are on the back of our trainer ID."

Kiba and Naruto nodded, and then headed east from the stadium where the male dormitory is located for Entei students. Sakura on the other hand, waved to her friends, and then headed north-east where the female dorm is located.

Now that the three of them were trainers, the future challenges and battles that await them will only start to get harder.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>And there you have it-another chapter. I had a couple of readers to ask about the people on boat. Everyone knows that the boy with onyx eyes is Sasuke, but the other three will remain a mystery until the next chapter. And, if you all have ideas for which Pokémon Naruto and the others catch, just drop me a review.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Blazing Inferno.

Sakura was the first to reach her dorm. Before entering her new home for the semester, she took in a deep breath.

"Well," she exhaled her held breath, and entered the dorm. "This is it."

Sakura's dorm was pretty spacious, and had two bunk beds-three of which had already been taken by other students. After taking off her shoes, Sakura tossed her bag onto the bottom section of the second bunk, and then walked over to the window. From there, she opened the curtains, letting in some light, and getting a perfect view of the school's Rapidash stalls.

"Beautiful..." she gasped as

Admiring the other students Pokémon suddenly made her remember the members of her own team. Smiling, Sakura reached into her fanny-pack, pulled out her Pokéballs, and released her partners. Once they were out of their balls, Lillipup, Munna, and Skitty looked around the room, and then back their trainer curiously.

"Take a good look, everyone." she explained. "Because, for the next semester, this is going to be our new home."

The Pokémon took this as a cue to explore the dorm their selves. And, around this same time, Sakura's new roommates thought it would the perfect time to return to their room.

The first person to enter the room was a teenaged girl one year older than Sakura. Her hair was styled into two buns that made her resembled Mini Mouse. Her outfit consisted of a pink tank top, black shorts, a pair of black high-top sneakers with multicolored polka-dots, and a matching wrist band.

The second girl was the same age as Sakura. Her eyes were a shade of pale lavender, and her hair was navy blue. Somehow, this girl seemed more fragile compared to Sakura and the other girl. Her wardrobe consisted of a pastel green shirt, a pair of blue skinny jeans, and a cute little pair of black flats. In her arms, this girl carried a rock and steel type Pokémon called Shieldon.

"Oh! You must be our new roommate," The girl with the bun style, approached Sakura, and shook her hand. "My name is TenTen."

Then, pointing to the other girl, she said, "And that's Hinata. Hyuga Hinata."

Hinata grinned shyly at Sakura, and then sat her Shieldon down to play with Skitty and the others.

"I'm Sakura," Sakura put on her friendliest smile. "Haruno Sakura."

After a short introduction, the girls decided to sit down and have a drink from their dorm's mini fridge while they continued to chat. Learning a little more her roommates, Sakura found out that Hinata was from a clan who specializes in using steel-type Pokémon, while TenTen wanted to take on both contests and gym battles.

"So...Sakura," TenTen started. "What are you planning to do once you graduate? Collect Gym badges, or contest ribbons?"

"As of now, my Pokémon and I are all about contests," Sakura answered before taking a sip of her soda.

"Our other roommate Blaze also takes contest courses," Hinata said.

"Blaze…?" Sakura sounded interested. "Just who is she exactly besides our roommate?"

"Since the beginning of the second year, our roommate Blaze has been known as the 'Blazing Inferno' of the Entei Dormitory..." TenTen started. "I guess it has something to do with her favorite type of Pokémon."

"Not only that, but it's also because of my Pignite," an unfamiliar voice replied. "He just loves to burn his victims to a crisp."

The three girls shot their heads around coming face to face with the 'Blazing Inferno' herself. Sakura recognized her as the same girl from the boat ride. However, Blaze has changed out of school uniform. Blaze was wearing a red short sleeved shirt, black Capri pants, and matching flip-flops.

The girls watched as Blaze walked pass them, reached into the mini fridge, and popped the top of a soda can.

"Why the sudden interest in the way I battle?" she asked them.

"Since she was taking up coordinating, we thought it would be nice to give Sakura a heads up about what's she's getting to into." TenTen answered.

Blaze glanced over at our pink-haired heroine. "And you must be Sakura...right? I remember seeing you on the boat. Your little blond friend battled my brother Frost."

Sakura nodded slowly.

Blazed sat down her drink and approached Sakura. From there, the red-headed teen stared directly at her. Sakura didn't move an inch. She couldn't. Not with Blaze giving her such a hard look. Finally letting up, Blaze smirked, stood back, and crossed her arms in a superior manner.

"You know, you don't look a very confidante trainer," she said. "You seem too...too...oh, what's the word I'm looking for? Ah, yes. Inexperienced."

TenTen rolled her eyes at Blaze, while Hinata twilled with her thumbs and stared at her feet.

Sakura, on the other hand, felt her eye twitched a little. Had she just been insulted? And by someone she barely even knew?

I-n-e-x-p-e-r-i-e-n-c-e-d...

The thirteen lettered word played over and over again in Sakura's head as Blaze continued her speech about younger trainers being immature and weak. Just when she was about to make a snappy combat back at Blaze, Sakura stopped herself, and thought about what her older brother had told her the first time she ever became a trainer.

No more than the age of ten, Sakura and her brother Rector ventured out the tall grass around Floaroma town to search for Sakura's first Pokémon partner. At that age, Sakura was very energetic, as well as impatient. Rector watched as she ran around restlessly checking the grass and tall trees for her perfect partner. The first Pokémon Sakura had come upon was of the bug/fighting species. Sakura watched the creature as it licked sweet honey from the trunk of the tree, and Rector handed her a Pokéball.

"That's a Heracross. Do you want to catch it?" he asked her.

"No," Sakura shook her head. "Heracross is an interesting Pokémon, but it isn't the right partner for me."

"Okay then..." Rector searched around for another Pokémon.

"There," he pointed to a Munchlax that was stuffing its face with loads of berries. "How about catching a Munchlax?"

Again, Sakura shook her head, and Rector sighed.

"Sakura, you shouldn't be too picky about the members of your team." Rector crossed his arms. "I mean as the two of train and travel together, you'll start to grow closer."

"Alright fine..." Sakura walked over to another tree, and began searching around it.

And there, on highest branch, was a small pink kitten called Skitty. Sakura's emerald green eyes lit up with joy as she watched Skitty lick honey from trunk of the tall tree. Rector smiled at her.

"Let me guess. You want to catch that Skitty...don't you?" he asked, and Sakura nodded happily.

"If that's the case, then you're going to need weaken it." Rector pulled out another Pokéball. But, this one wasn't empty. Rector tossed it, and released his Leafon. Leafon had the appearance of a tan fox-like creature, with a leafy tail, green paws, and brown eyes. Leafon also has a single leafy bang, which sticks up.

"Leafon, I'm going to need you to listen to Sakura for a while. Okay?" Rector said to his partner, and Leafon nodded.

"Leafon, use Energy Ball!" Sakura shouted.

Leafon concentrated, and began to draw in power from the plants around her, conjuring up a ball of pure energy. After that, the grass type kitsune released the sphere of energy at Skitty, who smoothly dodged the attack by jumping to another branch.

"Hm, it's going to be a little difficult to catch Skitty if it's still in that tree." Rector watched as his Leafon shot multiple energy balls at Skitty. This, of course gave Sakura an idea.

Sakura remembered how her brother battles his challengers the day before. During this particular battle, a challenger had commanded their Roselia to use Grass Knot to trap Leafon. Thinking quickly, Rector commanded Leafon to use Iron Tail to free herself.

"Leafon, use Double Team!" Sakura said. "And then climb the tree!"

Splitting apart from the original appeared two other clones of Leafon. Together, the three of them climbed the tree, and surrounded Skitty. The fur on Skitty's back stood straight up. To defend herself, Skitty destroyed one of the clones with her Shock Wave attack. Using the static from her fur, Skitty was able to enhance it, and use it as an attack. With one clone down, Leafon and her other clone took action. Leafon's clone chased after Skitty, while Leafon herself followed quietly, and waited for the right moment to attack. Once the clone had Skitty cornered, Sakura found that this was the best moment to shout another command.

"Leafon! Cut the tree branch down with Iron Tail!" she called.

Leafon jumped down from a higher branch, and landed onto the same as her clone. While the clone distracted Skitty, Leafon was free to cut the tree branch down. Both Skitty and Leafon landed onto the ground gracefully, and from there, Leafon and her clone attacked with Energy Ball.

"Quick!" Rector said to Sakura. "Capture Skitty while it's down!"

Nodding, Sakura chucked the Pokéball in her hands at Skitty. The Pokéball sucked Skitty inside, and began shaking. After about a minute, the ball stopped shaking. Meaning that Skitty officially was part of team Haruno. Rector walked over to the Pokéball, picked it up, and then handed it to Sakura.

"Remember; now that you're a trainer, you have think like one." He said.

"Blaze," Sakura suddenly said, snapping back into reality. "You wouldn't mind having a battle with me do you? It'll be single match."

Blaze shrugged. "That depends. Are you planning to give me a real challenge?"

Sakura looked down at her Pokémon, and then back at Blaze. "You can count on it."

Blaze smirked, reaching for one of her Pokéballs on her belt. "Alright then, let's see what you've got. Pignite, battle dance!"

Blaze tossed her Pokéball. Her Pignite appeared in a combination of blue and red fire.

Blaze's Pignite appeared to be a chubby pig-like Pokémon that sports orange, black, and yellow coloration. He has tiny beginnings of tusk; protrude from the lower jaw of his wide mouth. And, his black, tapered ears are located on the top of his head. The forelimbs of Pignite have glove-like patterns, with gold bands at the wrists and black at the tips of the hands. Pignite also has two claws, and his legs are small with a single nailed toe. His tail is curled and black, and is tipped with a puffy feature.

Before sending any of her partners out, Sakura let her Pokédex scan Pignite.

_Pignite- The Fire Pig Pokémon._

_Whatever it eats becomes fuel for the flame in its stomach. When it is angered, the intensity of the flame increases._

_Fighting type, eh?_ Sakura thought with small smiled. _Munna is perfect choice for this battle._

"Munna, it's show time!" Sakura called, and the small pink taper floated forward to assist her in battle.

Blaze was the first to call out a command.

"Use Work Up, Pignite!" she shouted.

Pignite pumped his fists together and tightened his focus. Sakura and Munna watched as Pignite's body was surrounded by a strong red aura as both his attack and special attack increased in power.

"Now, attack with Bulldoze!" Blaze pointed at Munna, and Pignite charged after Sakura's Pokémon.

Munna used her psychic powers to dodge the attack by disappearing into thin air. Because of this, Pignite crashed through the dorm's closet-creating a perfect outline of his body through the door. From there, Pignite threw off any clothes and shoes that were laying on top of his body and chased after Munna again, and knocking over various pieces of furniture at the same time.

"Attack with Flame Charge, Pignite!" Blaze shouted.

"Counter it with Hypnosis, Munna!" Sakura yelled.

Pignite tried tackling Munna with his entire body coated in blazing fire. Just as the attack was about make contact with her Munna used her psychic powers to unleash a ray of hypnotic rays, putting Pignite asleep instantly. Now that her opponent was fast sleep, Sakura took the advantage, and shouted out another command.

"Now use Psybeam!" she called.

On Sakura's command, Munna shot a beam of rainbow colored energy at Pignite, who was sleeping peacefully on floor. Blaze gritted her teeth in anger as Pignite was struck with the super effective attack.

"Get up, Pignite!" she growled.

Now awake, Pignite shook off his pain, and stood up.

"Now use Bulldoze!"

Pignite locked his sight onto Munna, snorted smoke from his nose, and then ran after her. Munna swiftly dodged the attack, and Pignite was left to crash through the front door of the girl's dorm.

It just so happens that during this time, Mistress Tsunade was taking her daily walk around the campus when Pignite burst through the door-leaving yet another perfect imprint of his outline. Raising one of her perfectly plucked brows, Tsunade stepped forward, to knock on the door. But before she could even lay a finger onto it, the door collapsed, causing the girls to look up with nervous expressions on their faces.

"Oh, girls," Tsunade said sweetly. Though inside, she wanted to scold them. "What happened to your room?"

The four girls looked at each other nervously.

"Well..." Sakura started to say, but she was cut off by Tsunade holding her hand up.

"Never mind," she said. "Rather than spending all of time coming up with a believable excuse, is best spent cleaning up your dorm."

"Right," the girls replied in unison, and then, they started grabbed some cleaning supplies from the broom closet.

"I blame this on you," Blaze grumbled as she and Pignite scrubbed his tracks from the carpet. "What were you thinking challenging me to a battle?"

Sakura just sighed, nailing a plank of wood over the imprint in the front door.

_There's lesson to be learned here Sakura...somewhere... _

* * *

><p><strong>Author's note:<strong> Sorry about that little wait, but I had another story to work on. In next chapter, I'm going to start placing the OCs that some of you sent in. Anyway, thanks again for reading and reviewing every. And, I promise to make the chapter much longer.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: A Little lesson in Rotation Battling.

While Kiba went ahead to his dorm, Naruto and Zorua were well on their way to the Entie Dormitory, when they spotted a battle between two upper class students from the Suicune dorm. On the left side of field stood a boy with black hair and blue eyes and his partner Dragonite. Dragonite was a rather bulky looking creature of the dragon species that resemble bipedal European dragon. Despite that, Dragonite are very fast flyers. Dragonite's features include orange scales, arms and legs, all of which are equipped with three claws, horn on its forehead, and green-colored wings that can increase in size while flying. Dragonite also has a pair of S-shaped antenna, and a cream-colored, striated underbelly.

On the right side of the field, and with his back turned towards our heroes, stood the same green headed boy from the boat ride with his partner Serperior. Serperior looked to be a giant snake-like Pokémon. Her face and upper neck are white-colored, and curled, tendril-like darker green extensions spread out from the sides of her lower neck, forming a curling pattern lower down the body, resembling a fancy collar. Serperior's eyes are colored red. And, she has a curled yellow patterns adorn its body, and a sprig-like feature of several leaves tip her tail.

"Go!" the boy with blue eyes shouted at his Dragonite. "Use, Thunderwave!"

"Counter it with Safeguard, Serperior!" the green haired stranger called.

Dragonite flew forth, and released tiny sparks from its antenna. This particular attack was countered by Serperior chanting a spell. By doing this, Serperior was able to create thousands of tiny silver butterflies, which formed a protective barricade in the shape of one giant butterfly around Serperior, and shielded her from Dragonite's attack.

"Attack with Dragon Tail!" the green headed boy shouted.

On his command, Serperior started to glow red, and then she swatted Dragonite with the powerful attack.

"Now finish this up with Giga Impact!" Serperior's trainer shouted.

Even without feet, Serperior was able to charge after Dragonite with a great amount of speed, and then slam her body into Dragonite. As a result, Dragonite was thrown back nearly crushing the teenaged trainer that commanded it.

"Giga Impact..." Naruto repeated, and Zorua looked up at him-still wearing her EXP share crown. "Maybe I should think about teaching that to you, Zorua."

"That Thorn Rose... he's something else," someone said.

Beside Naruto himself, there were a bunch of other trainers around watching the green headed boy, now recognized as Thorn, battle challengers. Though most of them were Suicune students, there were also a few Raikou trainers, the boy with the onyx eyes, and Frost.

The person who had spoken was another male student with his hair styled in a strange bowl cut, and rather thick eye brows. No more than a year older than Naruto, the teenage boy wore a sleeveless black shirt, with a green imprint of a Pokéball. He also wore a pair of black martial art pants and shoes. On both of his wrists were two green wrist-bands with black stripes.

"So this trainer Thorn," Naruto said starting a conversation. "Who is he?"

"That's strange. I thought everyone around here knew Thorn...well anyway Thorn is of the top ten third year students at the school. Ranking in at number five, Thorn plans on being the very first member of the Elite Four to master in Grass type Pokémon." the boy explained. "I myself look forward to battling such a trainer."

Looking back out at battling field, Naruto noticed that both trainers were recalling their Pokémon. Before walking back to his dorm with his friends, Thorn turned around and went to pick up his backpack. Then, as he began to leave, he noticed Naruto peering out to him from across the field. Giving the young blond trainer a friendly nod, Thorn grabbed his bag and headed into the direction of Suicune Dormitory.

"My name is Rock Lee by the way," the boy pointed to himself with a flashy smile. "I live in dorm 109. You should stop by sometime if you would like to battle with me and my team."

"Oh, that's right." Looking at the back of his trainer card, Naruto suddenly remembered why he was passing the by the battling field. "Well how about that-my dorm number is also 109..."

He grinned at Lee. "I guess we're going to be roommates for the semester."

"Mistress Tsunade said there were going to be some new students here today...you must be one of them." Lee said. And then he asked, "How about I show you to our dorm?"

Naruto readjusted the strap on backpack and replied, "Lead the way."

From there, the two Entie students and Zorua walked to a large building covered in morning glories.

Lee opened the door by swiping his student ID as if it were a credit card. After that, he stepped out of the way so Naruto and Zorua could admire their new room for the semester. Inside, Naruto could see two bunk beds, a small coffee table, a red sofa, two lamps, one TV, and one large bay window. Zorua jumped into the window to get a better look at beach. Around the evening, which just so happens to be the current time, the Krabby walk onto the beach and blow colorful bubbles into the sunset. Zorua watched as the bubble floated around the island and into the air with curiosity in her eyes.

"The others won't be here until late tonight," Lee said as he took a seat on the couch and turned on the TV. He was referring to the other trainers that also bunked here. "For some odd reason, the two of them really like to train during the late hours."

"Actually, that doesn't seem like a bad idea..." Naruto replied. "At night, different species come out at right?"

Lee nodded. "I guess that would be a reason to go out night..."

"In fact," Naruto grabbed his backpack from the coffee table, and headed towards the door. Zorua jumped from the window, and tailed behind him. "I think Zorua and I will head out for a little while."

"If you say so," Lee just shrugged and continued to watch the TV.

Naruto and Zorua explored the outer region of school. This of course led them into a quiet forest with long narrow path with three ways. The two of them chose to continue down the path in the middle. Along the way, Zorua would stop for a short while to examine another Pokémon, or to taste a berry that has fallen from the treetops. Pretty soon, the bushes began to rustle behind them. Naruto and Zorua went on alert, and prepared themselves for whatever was coming.

Turning, Naruto spotted a wild ghost Pokémon called Haunter. This particular Haunter had a big grin plastered across his purple face as Naruto stood motionless with Zorua hiding behind his leg. Then, sticking out his oversized tongue at the blond haired trainer, Haunter floated off into a different direction of the forest-leaving Naruto to pursuit after him.

On a different side of the forest, Frost was taking a small stroll along the path leading to left. Upon his arrival to the school, Frost had changed from his school uniform and into his usual clothes: Frost wore a black t-shirt, a pair of white jeans, and black sneakers. On his wrist was a watch. Since it was pretty late in the evening, Frost gave yawned a little and stretched his arms into the air. Once his eyes were open, the snowy haired trainer came face to face with one of the many creatures of the night—a Duskull.

Duskull is a ghost type Pokémon with a black with a skull in the middle of his face, and a single red eye that was now staring at Frost. Smirking, Frost backed up, and reached for one of his Pokéballs.

"Cubchoo, front and center!" he called.

From a sudden burst of light, Cubchoo appeared. Cubchoo is an ursine Pokémon with a light blue head and neck. His features include a slightly pointed head, big round ears, oval-shaped eyes, and a darker-blue muzzle. From Cubchoo's nose, a large amount of light blue nasal mucus, the source of most his attacks, droops. The lower part of Cubchoo's body is white, and has rounded forepaws, and a small round tail.

"Use, Shadow Claw!" Frost pointed his finger at Duskull.

Cubchoo ran forward, and tried swiping Duskull with his sharp claws which were surrounded by a sinister black aura. To avoid the attack, Duskull simply faded away into the trunk of the forest trees, and Cubchoo's claws slashed through the bark of tree. Frost took out a flashlight from his bag, and shinned the light around.

"This is going to be harder than thought..." He said to himself.

Continuing his little game, Duskull flew pass Frost, giving the snowy haired trainer a signal to follow him.

"Let's go," Frost allowed Cubchoo to climb onto his shoulder. After that, the two of them chased after skull-faced ghost.

Walking along the path to right was the boy with the onyx eyes. From his trainer card, this young boy was identified as Uchiha Sasuke. Casually strolling down the forest path with his hands in his pockets, Sasuke suddenly felt something brush right pass him. Stopping, Sasuke turned around to find no one was there. So, deciding that it was nothing, Sasuke continued to walk. Again, after a few minutes of solitude, Sasuke felt his hair get tug by the same force, which just so happen to be a wild Misdreavus.

Sasuke looked eyed the little ghost. Misdreavus was bluish color with purple highlights in what was thought to be her hair. Her eyes were yellow with red pupils and she wore a red necklace-like collar around her neck. Sasuke pulled out three Pokéballs from his pocket, and tossed them. Out popped his Oshawott, Purrlion, and Zubat. The three of them surrounded Misdreavus and waited for their commands.

"Oshawott use Scald! Purrlion use Shadow Ball! And Zubat, you attack with Bite!" Sasuke commanded.

Taking in a deep breath, Oshawott released a fair amount of boiling water from his mouth, while Purrlion conjured a ball of sinister shadows, and then, he fired it at Misdreavus. As for Zubat, he flew after Misdreavus with his sharp fangs flared. Dodging the multiple attacks, Misdreavus faded away into thin air, and then reappeared behind Sasuke. From there, she tugged at his hair, and floated off into a different direction. Quickly thinking, Sasuke turned Purrlion and Zubat to their Pokéballs.

"Come on," he said to Oshawott.

And with that, Sasuke and his partner chased after Misdreavus. Pretty soon, each of the ghost Pokémon met up with each other-Naruto, Sasuke, and Frost following in pursuit of them. As he and Zorua got closer to Haunter, Naruto grinned.

"I've almost got you..." he said, pulling out a Pokéball. "I just have to...Gah!"

Our blond haired hero was so busy with trying to capture Haunter that he'd failed to notice that he was crashing into someone—someone who was oh-so familiar to him.

"Ouch..." Naruto rubbed his head and looked up.

In front of him was Frost who checked his fore head for any bumps, and muttering to himself while his Cubchoo tried to comfort him. And to his right, was Sasuke and his Oshawott. Sasuke's teeth were gritted as he rubbed his backside in pain.

Naruto stood up. "So, I'm guessing the two of you are trying catch that Haunter, too?"

"What...?" Sasuke questioned. Then, he shook his head. "No, you must be mistaken. I'm chasing after a Misdreavus."

"Well I think you're both wrong," Frost said, and Cubchoo climbed back onto his shoulder. "Cubchoo and I were just in pursuit of a wild Duskull."

Not long after that, the ghost trio decided to make an appearance-their last appearance before being captured. At this same moment, the boys each pulled out an empty Pokéball, and then tossed them at same exact time. Naruto tossed an ordinary Pokéball, Frost threw a Great Ball, and Sasuke flung a Dusk Ball from his hand. The three of them watched each of the Pokéballs fell to the ground, shaking slightly, until the little red light in middle turned back to its original egg shell color.

Curious to what was happening Zorua walked over to the Pokéballs, and sniffed them. Almost immediately, Haunter and the others popped out, slightly startling Zorua in the process.

"Welcome to the team, Haunter." Naruto grinned, as he new ghost type partner floated happily around his head in circles.

"Hmm..." Sasuke looked at Misdreavus, and then held out his black Pokétch watch in front of so it could scan her.

Once the little blue light went out, a small pop-up screen appeared with Misdreavus' moves on it: Shadow Ball, Power Gem, Mean Look, and Perish Song.

Curse, Nightshade, Pursuit, and Confuse Ray were Duskull's set moves. After checking over them, Frost reached into his bag and pulled out his TM case. From there, he pulled one of the colored disks out, and placed it at Duskull's transparent head.

"From now own Duskull, your move Curse will be replaced with Ice Beam." Frost stated, as the TM began to glow in his pale hand.

With nothing more to say to each other, and less than five hours before a new day at White Academy started, the three boys and their Pokémon walked back to the Entie Dormitory for some rest.

"Hey kid, wake up..."

"Just a little while longer..."

Naruto shifted his weight to the left as Sasuke tried shaking him from the opposite end. Sasuke glanced at his Pokétch-from the current time, the two them only had twenty minutes before their first class started. Considering this, Sasuke pulled Oshawott's Pokéball and unleashed part two of his plan.

"Oshawott, use Scald." he said.

Oshawott climbed onto the top bunk, taking aim at the curled mass of bed sheets with blond hair. From there, the tiny otter shot a stream of boiling water from his mouth.

"Gah!" After nearly jumping through the ceiling, Naruto glared at Sasuke, as he threw his steaming bed sheets to side.

"What was that for?" he shouted.

"I could give all the details, but we only have about fifteen minutes until class starts," Sasuke tossed Naruto his Gakuran uniform, with a medium sized brooch in the shape of a flame. "So, get dressed."

Hearing this, Naruto decided that it was best to get back at Sasuke once school was over, and to get dressed. From there, both Sasuke and Naruto tried sneaking their way into their battling class.

_Perfect,_ Naruto grinned poking his head through the doors of the stadium. _Now all we have to do is go in..._

"A Rotation Battle is a new form of battling style for a trainer and their Pokémon," Kakashi explained to the students of his class. "To kick off this lesson, I'm going to need two volunteers."

"Let's see..." Kakashi scanned the stands of the stadium, when he spotted a certain blond trainer taking his seat in the back row.

_Bingo, _Kakashi pointed his finger at Naruto. "You there..."

"Uh, me...?" Naruto asked, stupidly.

"Of course he means you," Sasuke rolled his eyes.

Kakashi nodded, and pointed at another student. "And...Chris, I'm going to need the two of you for the demonstration."

This particular student was wearing a uniform with the Raikou Yellow thunderbolt pinned to it. He had black hair, and peach colored skin. His eyes were brown but, he wore an eye patch over his left eye. Even though he was a year ahead of most of the students in his class took his place on the right side of field, and so did Naruto.

"Now, let's start out by calling out your teams of three." Kakashi said.

Naruto nodded, pulled out two Pokéballs, and tossed them into the air. From inside appeared both Pansage and Tepig appeared, and took their places on top of the rotation platform. With a look of satisfaction on his face, Naruto reached into his pocket to pull out Zorua's ball when suddenly, Haunter popped out.

Naruto tried to recall his restless ghost partner.

"Haunter, I'm going to need you to stand by for a while." he said, but Haunter dodged the red stream of energy that was going return him to his Pokéball.

"Are both trainers ready to start the lesson?" Kakashi asked—a brown clip board in his hands.

Before answering, Naruto glanced over at his opponent. With his Infernape, Beartic, and Electivire already on the field, Chris was ready to start the battle that would count as extra credit, and put him one step closer to being a Suicune student.

"I guess..." Naruto stuck Zorua's Pokéball back into his pocket. After that, he looked at Haunter and said, "Since you're out, you might as well get out there."

Haunter disappeared, and then reappeared next to Pansage. With three Pokémon on each platform, Kakashi tossed each of the boys a remote with a left and right control function.

"You're going to need that for the battle," he explained. "Otherwise it would be called a Rotation Battle."

Chris started the battle by rotating his team to left, placing Beartic in front of his team, and Pansage's opponent.

"Use Ice Punch!" he called out to the massive polar bear.

_Tepig should be perfect for this job,_ Naruto thought, and then he tried rotating his team to the right as well.

But, Haunter had different plans for this battle. By tapping into the system of the rotation platform with his ghostly powers, Haunter was able to force the dais to switch over to the right side instead, and then match Beartic's attack with an elemental punch of his own-Fire Punch.

"Uhh...nice job, Haunter." Naruto called. Afterwards, tried he pressed the button again to switch over.

The platform didn't budge, and Haunter was quite through with Beartic just yet. Unleashing another attack Haunter spat out a mixture of filth and toxic sludge at his opponent's face. Beartic's entire body turned from blue and white, to a shade of rich purple. In other words, he'd been poison, which was slowly eating away at his HP. Beartic growled trying to swipe the sludge from his face. With his opponent distracted, Haunter took the advantage, and punched Beartic with Fire Punch. Beartic stumbled backwards, and Chris glared at Haunter, switching the platform over to Electivire.

"Alright you two," Kakashi stepped in before anything could happen. "I think the entire lesson is clear to everyone."

Chris returned his Pokémon to their balls, and then approached Naruto. "You know, you really should keep a leash on that Haunter of yours."

After hearing that, Naruto watched as the dark haired boy walked back to his seat. Naruto recalled his team, and returned to his seat as well. With Haunter acting out, it was only a matter of time before things were totally out his control.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Sorry for the wait everyone, but here's the new chapter. In the previous version Naruto had a Haunter that lashed out and became too powerful for him to handle. Since some of readers liked the idea, I decided to add it into this one as well.

Thanks for reading, and please review.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: A Little lesson in Rotation Battling (Part Two).

After school was over, Naruto decided to take a small trip to a nearby town called Apotos. The windy town of Apotos was a small community built into the side of a mountain. The town was populated mostly by fishermen, and immigrants native to the eastern Mediterranean Sea. While Zorua stuck close to Naruto, Haunter floated through the streets admiring the sights on his own. Outside of battle, Haunter seemed fine. He was calm, and even though he startled most of towns' people, he tried interacting with them and their Pokémon in a friendly manner.

About twenty minutes later, Zorua's stomach begun to growl as the smell of sugar and chocolate wavered through the air around her. And that's when she spotted an ice cream stand a few paces ahead. Zorua admired the frozen dessert hungrily as the man who worked there topped the sweet treat off with chocolate sprinkles, and a bright red cherry.

Naruto grinned at Zorua as her stomach growled again.

"Let's see if I can anything for you eat," he said searching his backpack for his berry-pouch.

Before the man could add anything else to it, the bowl of fruit near the sundae was suddenly picked up by an unseen force, and carried over to Zorua. Naruto watched as the Zorua ate the fruit with delight. Following up to that, the man from the cart approached him with a rather puzzled look on his face.

"Uh, do mind explaining to me how my fruit just floated away from the cart?" the man questioned as Zorua chewed through one of the pears in the basket.

Rather than explaining the entire situation to this stranger, Naruto just sighed reaching for his wallet in his pocket.

"How much do I owe you, sir?" he asked.

The dessert vender gave a hearty laugh, crouched down, and petted Zorua on the head.

"Don't worry about it-this one's on the house. You know, it's not every day you see such a rare Pokémon."

Naruto smiled as he continued to watch Zorua eat the fruit. "Oh, uh thanks."

_Maybe I can use Zorua's cuteness can get me out of this week's upcoming test… _Naruto thought with a sly grin on his face. Zorua looked up him and cocked her head.

While Naruto's attention was focus on Zorua, Haunter continued to float around the streets of the town, until he spotted something; a business man on his break sitting under the town's trade-mark fountain. Beside him, was a fellow student of the academy with silver hair, glasses and wearing a thunderbolt-pin. It wasn't the man that Haunter was interested in. But rather, the tasty treat he held in his hands. It was an ice cream cone loaded with pieces of candy, coated fruit, and rainbow sprinkles. Haunter made his self invisible, and snuck up behind the suited man. Just as the he was about to take his first bite of his ice cream, Haunter stuck his through the man's torso, and grabbed the frozen treat for his self.

"H-huh…?" the suited man watched in disbelief as his ice cream was carried off into a different direction.

The boy with silver hair looked up from his book as Haunter floated off into the same direction as Naruto and Zorua. Closing his book, the boy stood up and followed Haunter.

"Excuse me, but does that Pokémon belongs to you?" the boy asked as he tucked his book under his arm.

Naruto looked at Haunter, and then nodded.

"I see," the silver-headed boy looked at Haunter closely, who swallowed the entire ice cream cone in one gulp.

"A classmate of mine specializes in tutoring aggressive Pokémon," he said handed Naruto a yellow business card. "You should go and see her-she'll be waiting in Raikou Dormitory."

Naruto looked at the card. Apparently, the person who was going to help him with Haunter was a girl named Danko Okibi.

"Thanks," Naruto answered. "I'll go and see her now."

"Oh, and tell her Kabuto sent you." the boy said.

Naruto gave him an approving nod before walking back to the academy—Haunter and Zorua followed him without hesitation. In about ten minutes, our blond headed arrived to his destination with his partners. Naruto felt a little unsteady as he walked through the female section of campus. Seeing as he was the only the male and he was quite young, Naruto could feel the stares and hear the whispers of the girls around him.

"_What is a boy doing here…?" _

"_He must be lost or something…"_

"_I thought all Entei students were supposed to be banned from the higher rank dorms…"_

Naruto tired to ignore the comments as he continued to look for the correct room. Pretty soon, he spotted the Raikou statue. Before he could reach the housing building, a group of three girls blocked his path. The first was the leader of the group. She was just a couple years older than Naruto, with long red hair, and brown eyes. She wore a black tank top, which was connected to a short sleeved white t-shirt underneath it. Her pants were also black, and stopped right above her knee.

The next girl was around the same age as the first. Her hair was green, and styled into two pigtails. She wore a sky blue tank top, and over it she wore an open red jacket with matching skirt. The third and final girl was much older. She wore a navy blue dress, and a pair of black boots. Despite their differences in age and size, each of them wore a bandana which sported a pink heart with devil horns and a tail sticking out it. This of course meant that these girls were part of some sort of clique.

"Hey kid," the first to speak was a girl with her long, untamed red hair. "I don't think you know this, but boys aren't exactly welcome here."

"Well, I kind of figured that out myself..." Naruto answered, sheepishly. He was referring to all of the glares and whispers he had received during his walk across the campus.

"Then why are you still here?" the girl with bright green hair asked, her lip curled up. "Are you a pervert or something?"

"Pervert…?" Naruto repeated. He shook his head. "No. You see the reason why I came here is for my Pokémon."

Naruto handed the red-headed girl the card Kabuto gave him.

"I was supposed to meet some here," he added. "Someone name Okibi."

The girl with red hair looked at the card for a brief moment, and then she tore it in half.

"I don't believe you," she said. "Not one bit."

"Tayuya you just so evil," The girl with green hair giggled as the quieter one in the back smirked at Naruto.

"What do you say girls?" the red headed girl now known as Tayuya smirked reaching for one her Pokéballs. "How about we teach this Entei Slacker a thing or two about trespassing?"

The other girls responded with a nod, and by grabbing Pokéballs of their own, and then tossing them simultaneously. From the Pokéball that Tayuya threw appeared a Pokémon called Purugly. Purugly looks like a big gray and white cat, with a tail similar to its pre-evolution, Glameow.

The other girl's choices were Grandbull and Bouffalant. Bouffalant is a large, brown buffalo Pokémon. Bouffalant features a large, afro on his head with two equally large horns popping out of it. Each horn has two golden rings on it. Grandbull, on the other hand, is a purple bulldog-like Pokémon capable of standing on his hind legs. Grandbull also has a black collar around his neck with two small white patterns on it, and two band-like black markings on his arms.

"Go Purugly!" Tayuya pointed at Naruto. "Attack with Bulldoze!"

Naruto picked up Zorua, and protectively held her close to his body as Purugly closed in on them. At that same moment, Haunter sprang into action, and struck Purugly with his Fire Punch attack. Purugly hissed at Haunter, and tried striking him with her claws. Haunter watched as Purugly disappeared before him, and then reappeared behind him ready to attack. Haunter skillfully dodged by using Double Team. Each of the copies circled around Purugly as she stared back at them in confusion.

"Attack them all with Faint Attack!" Tayuya called.

Purugly did as she was told and attack. Eventually, she had found the original, and slammed her pudgy body against his ghostly frame.

_Perfect,_ Tayuya smirked as Haunter plummeted to the ground. "Now use Swagger!"

Purugly approached Haunter, and began annoying him in various way; clawing at him, swatting him with her tail, and even making witty comments. The girls just laughed as Purugly continued her reign of annoyance on Haunter. Naruto glared at them, but he figured just sitting there and doing nothing was not going help.

"Come Haunter, get up!" he shouted. "What happened to your fighting spirit? Remember how you battled today in class? **Beartic** didn't stand a chance!"

Oddly, Naruto's words had gotten through to Haunter. Haunter's eyes snapped open at that same moment. And before Purugly could swat him with tail again, he grabbed it.

"Mao…?" Purugly seemed shocked at first.

Figuring this, she pulled away from Haunter, and tried using Shadow Claw on him.

Before the attack could come close to hitting him, Haunter grabbed Purugly by her paw with his floating hand. As the overweight tiger-cat tried setting herself free, Haunter glared at her, and the palm of his hand became hotter and hotter. Purugly cried out in pain, and Tayuya gritted her teeth in anger.

"Well?" she shouted at her friends/roommates. "Just what are you waiting for? Help out my precious Purugly!"

"Right…" the two girls replied in unison.

"Grandbull use Crunch!" the green headed girl shouted.

Grandbull charged forward bearing his over sized fangs at Haunter. Haunter waited until he was close enough to use Purugly as a shield to protect himself from Grandbull's attack.

"No!" Tayuya was on the verge of pulling out hair when caught of Grandbull chomping down on Purugly's backside.

Haunter tossed Purugly, with Grandbull still attached to her, aside. After that, Haunter was surrounded by a beautiful sapphire aura. Naruto's Pokétch gave him the heads up by beeping.

"Looks like Haunter leveled up," he looked down at Zorua, who was also glowing with the same powerful aura. Zorua just scratched at the crown she was wearing.

"And of course, you get some of his experience points as well." Naruto chuckled.

Pretty soon, Tayuya recalled Purugly, freeing her from Grandbull's powerful jaws. Once there, Grandbull remembered the conflict between him and Haunter and lunged after Haunter with his Crunch attack. Haunter countered with Toxic, and then while Grandbull was distracted, Haunter sent him flying with Fire Punch. Afterwards, Haunter was once again surrounded by the same aura as before. However, once the aura disappeared, Haunter's body began to glow. Everyone protected his eyes from the light while Zorua watched in awe. Once the light subsided, Haunter took on a completely different image; Haunter's body was now round-ish, and furry—and because of the sudden evolution, Haunter acquired legs, and his arms were connected to his body. His eyes were crimson red, and his mouth was curled into a sinister smile.

"Gengar..." the newly evolved Pokémon said.

"Gengar," Naruto repeated in admiration. After that, he smiled. "Heh...I could really get used to this."

"I guess it's up to me now…" the other girl sighed a little, tucking a strain of her black hair.

"Bouffalant, use Work Up!" she called to her partner.

Bouffalant snorted smoke from his nose as his entire body began to glow red with power.

"Go Gengar!" Naruto called. "Use Sludge Bomb!"

Gengar's ears twitched upon hearing his trainer's command. But instead of attacking Bouffalant, Gengar turned to glare at Naruto with his red eyes, before spitting a gaping glob of sludge at him. Naruto jumped back slightly, and Zorua stood in front of him defensively. Gengar didn't take Zorua so seriously and just laughed at her. Zorua glared at him, and then tried using Shadow Ball. Gengar simply stepped to the right to avoid Zorua's attack. Once there, Gengar tried using Sludge Bomb Zorua, but Naruto thought quick and pulled Zorua out of the way. To defend his self and Zorua from the attack, Naruto used his backpack as a shield, which was promptly burned through by Gengar's attack. Gengar snickered as Naruto's Pokéballs and other items fell to the ground.

"Now, Bouffalant!" the other trainer shouted. "Attack with Payback!"

After powering up with Work Up, Bouffalant charged after Gengar with his entire body coated in a strange black aura. With Purugly out of the way, as well as Grandbull, Gengar only had to focus his attention on Bouffalant. Gengar spat a glob of purple of toxic poison at Bouffalant which he swiftly dodged, and continued to charge.

But who said Gengar was aiming at Bouffalant? Unraveling part two of his plan, the sludge that Gengar spat out began to bubble, and eventually released toxic fumes into the air. Bouffalant thought quick, and tried to escape the fumes—all while holding his breath to keep the toxic fumes from entering his body. Seeing this, Gengar split into separate copies, and then chased after the buffalo Pokémon.

Bouffalant was well on his way from within the fumes, when Gengar and his copies blocked his path. Bouffalant tried looking around for an opening as fast as he could. With such little time, he was beginning to run out of breath. Gengar pointed a finger at Bouffalant, and the clones followed his command, surround Bouffalant, and then dragged him into the center of the gas where they clobbered Bouffalant with a series of punches powered by the element of fire. Once the smoke cleared, the copies of Gengar had once again vanished, and Bouffalant was spotted lying unconscious near the Raikou tribute. Gengar walked back to Naruto, and Naruto gave him a hard stare. Gengar stared back, and eventually he grew bored, picked up his Pokéball from the ground, and returned himself.

"Boy...Gengar really is a handful..." Naruto held Gengar's Pokéball in his hand.

After picking the rest of his belongs from the ground, Naruto and Zorua entered the housing building to find Okibi's room.

"Room 156...157...and here we are," Naruto grinned as he stood in front of Okibi's room. "Room 158."

Naruto turned the door knob. Waiting inside was a female student with dark brown skin, red eyes, and short red hair that reaches the top of her shoulders. She stood pretty tall for her age, so Naruto had to look up at her.

"Well hello there. It's not everyday I get a visitor from the Entei Dorm." she greeted Naruto with a warm smile. "How may I help you?"

Naruto handed her the card. "Someone named Kabuto told me to come here and…"

Okibi held up her hand before Naruto could finish his sentence. "Say no more. I believe I already know why you're here."

"So, what seems to be the problem?" Okibi questioned clicking the top of her pen.

Naruto took a seat directly across from her on the sofa—Zorua climbed up without any problem, and Naruto released Gengar from his Pokéball. Gengar was about to attack, until spotted a bowl of candy on the coffee table. Gengar swiped it, and then sat down and greedily stuffed his face with the candy.

"At first, when my Gengar was a Haunter, he seemed to act out whenever he battles," Naruto started. "But other than that, he seemed fine."

"But since his evolution, Gengar seems to be much more aggressive..." he added.

"Hmm…" Okibi glanced at Gengar. Zorua, apparently, had noticed the candy Gengar was eating.

Seeing this, Gengar opened his mouth, and poured the entire bowl into it. Zorua glared at Gengar and tried attacking him, but was cut short by Naruto pulling her back into his lap.

"Have you ever considered the fact that you might be a horrible trainer?" she asked, writing something down on the clip board she held.

"Huh?" Naruto seemed a little taken back. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Okibi chuckled. "I'm just pulling your leg, nothing more." she said. Then, she asked, "What's Gengar like in battle?"

"Oh…" Naruto didn't find her joke to be funny. But, that didn't keep him from answering Okibi's question.

"Well," he started. "He's defiantly destructive...and he likes to take charge. It's almost as if he doesn't need me to command him."

"Interesting," Okibi wrote something else down on her clip board.

Suddenly, Naruto's Pokétch began beeping. Naruto tapped it, and an e-mail from Kiba appeared;

_Hey, Naruto..._

_Kakashi has a task for us...you should report back to the Entei Dormitory as soon as you can. We're supposed to be showing some students from the Head Start Program around campus. Anyway, get down here as soon as you can. There will extra credit in it for us. - Kiba_

Naruto stood up from the couch. "I just an e-mail from a friend... is it alright we schedule for another time?" he asked.

"It must be time for the beginning trainers to visit the school," Okibi said, placing her hand on her chin. "You know what, we might have to reschedule. Since there will be more than one Pokémon around, this will give me a chance to see how Gengar acts around other trainer's Pokémon."

"You know, that doesn't seem like a bad idea." Naruto said. "Let's go."

Okibi followed Naruto and his partners to the Entei Dorm. When they arrived, Naruto was greeted by a familiar face. The face of his old instructor, named Iruka, from the Head Start program in Jubilife City.

"Iruka-sensei," Naruto greeted him.

"It's nice to see you too, Naruto." Iruka said with a smile. "I guessing you're here to show my students how to be a trainer?"

"That's right," Naruto answered.

"Iruka-sensei, when are we going to see some battles?" one of the children asked, eagerly. "We've walking around this school day!"

This particular child had short spiky brown hair and black eyes, and was wearing a blue hooded shirt, a pair of black shorts, and matching trainers.

"Good question," Iruka looked to Kakashi for an answer.

Kakashi said, "How about we start now? Naruto, your opponent for this round will Sasuke. And Kiba, you will be battling Chris."

Sasuke and Naruto took their places onto the battling field across from each other as everyone else waited for the match to begin.

"For this round both trainers shall use three Pokémon each," Kakashi explained. "Switching and item usage is permitted, but only during the actual match.

"Fair enough," Naruto answered.

"Agreed," Sasuke said.

Kakashi stepped out of way, and then shouted, "Then, begin!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** First of all, I would like to say thank you to all for putting up with my slow updates. Every time I think I'm free, my teachers have something else for the class to type up. Well, that's what get for taking summer classes for college... anyway; I'll have a bio chapter for this story up by this upcoming week. For now, I have to work on my other crossover. You should check it out if you're a fan of Yugioh and Pokemon crossovers.

Thanks for reading, and please review.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **A while back, on of you readers suggested that I should post a bio chapter for this story. So, here it is. From now own, I'll post a chapter like this every 5 chapters or so to make things less confusing.

* * *

><p><strong>Name:<strong> Namikaze Naruto.

**Age:** 12.

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Character's Description:** Blond spiky hair, tan skin, and clear blue eyes.

**Outfit:** A black shirt with an orange picture of a Pokéball on the front, over it he wears an orange blazer. He also wears a pair of tan trousers, and orange sneakers.

**Background Story: **He's the son of the Unova Champion, and along with his childhood friends Kiba and Sakura, Naruto plans to travel to Shiroi Academy, and then take on the entire Unova challenge.

**Family Members: **Namikaze Minato (father), Namikaze Kushina (mother), and Namikaze Yomi (sister).

**Hometown:** Jubilife City of Sinnoh.

**Achievements:** 0/8 Badges.

**Pokémon Team **(on hand)**: **

- Tepig (male) **known moves: **Flame Charge, Defense Curl, Tackle, and Growl.

- Pansage (male) **known moves:** Energy Ball, Leech Seed, Bite, and Leer.

- Zorua (female) **known moves:** Leer, Hone Claws, Shadow Ball, and Dark Pulse.

- Gengar (male) **known moves:** Fire Punch, Toxic, Sludge Bomb, and Double Team.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red.

* * *

><p><strong>Name:<strong> Haruno Sakura.

**Age:** 12.

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Character's Description:** Long pink hair down her back, emerald eyes, and porcelain skin.

**Outfit:** A red skirt with a pair of green tights underneath it, a red bandana, and red trainers with green laces.

**Background Story: **Since both of her parents are professors, Sakura has inherited their curiosity of studying rare Pokémon. Wherever she goes, she always has her carnation-pink Pokédex handy, and ready to scan any Pokémon. Sakura's current dream is to become a famous coordinator with her team. But with opponents like Blaze standing in her way, things may get a little complicated...

**Family Members: **Haruno Mitzy (mother), Haruno Rector (brother), and Haruno Hiroyuki (father).

**Hometown:** Sandgem Town of Sinnoh.

**Achievements:** 0/5 Ribbons.

**Pokémon Team **(on hand)**:**

- Skitty (female) **know moves:** Shock Wave, Attract, Assist, and Hidden Power.

- Munna (female) **known moves:** Psywave, Hypnosis, Moonlight, and Nightmare.

- Lillipup (male) **known moves:** Crunch, Odor Sleuth, Dig, and Work Up.

**Dormitory:** Entei Red.

* * *

><p><strong>Name:<strong> Inuzuka Kiba.

**Age: **12.

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Character's Description: **Kiba has messy brown hair, black eyes, and tan skin.

**Outfit: **Kiba wears a navy blue and black hooded shirt with matching black shorts, and skater shoes.

**Background Story: **Kiba's parents have been separated since he was young. While his mother runs a special day care for Pokémon, Kiba's father is the Tycoon of the Sinnoh Battling Tower. After he graduates from the academy and strengthen up his team by traveling Unova with Sakura and Naruto, Kiba plans to make it to the top of the tower, and battle his father with of course, Akamaru by his side.

**Family Members: **Inuzuka Hana (sister), Inuzuka Okami (father), and Inuzuka Tsume (mother).

**Hometown: **Jubilife City of Sinnoh.

**Achievements:** 0/8 Badges.

**Pokémon Team **(on hand)**: **

- Akamaru (Poochyena) (male) **known moves:** Bite, Howl, Incinerate, and Dig.

- Blitzle (male) **known moves:** Flame Charge, Shock Wave, Flash, and Charge.

- Eevee (male) **known moves:** Bite, Iron Tail, Sand Attack, and Work Up.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red.

* * *

><p><strong>Name:<strong> Uchiha Sasuke.

**Age: **12.

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Character's Description:** Everyone knows Sasuke because of his signature onyx eyes. He also has pale skin, and dark spiky hair.

**Outfit: **Sasuke wears a white shirt with a navy blue blazer over it, a pair of matching sneakers, and a pair of black jeans.

**Background Story: **Sasuke's parents own the Pokétch Company in Jubilife City, and his brother Itachi is a member of the Elite Four in Sinnoh. Instead of attending the head-start program with the others, Sasuke was home-schooled by a hired tutor from Kanto. After he graduates from the academy, Sasuke plans to enter the Unova League as a warm-up, and then the Sinnoh League to take down his brother.

**Family Members: **UchihaItachi (brother), Uchiha Fugaku (father), and Uchiha Mikoto (mother).

**Hometown:** Jubilife City of Sinnoh.

**Achievements:** 0/8 Badges.

**Pokémon Team: **

- Oshawott (male) **known moves:** Scald, Revenge, Ice Beam, and Focus Energy.

- Purrloin (male) **known moves: **Hone Claws, Fake Out, Shadow Ball, and Pursuit.

- Zubat (male) **known moves: **Bite, Supersonic, Poison Fang, and Mean Look.

- Misdreavus (female) **known moves:** Power Gem, Energy Ball, Perish Song, and Mean Look.

**Dormitory:** Entei Red.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>Perma-Frost.

**Age: **12.

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Character's Description: **About as tall as Naruto when it comes to height. Frost gets his name from the elemental type he chose to train, and his frosty hair color. Frost also has pale skin, and his eyes are yellow.

**Outfit: **If not in his school uniform, Frost usually wears a black t-shirt, black sneakers, and a pair of white jeans.

**Background Story: **Frost is the younger sibling of three. After he graduates, Frost plans to compete in every region for the title of "World's Best Trainer". In order to do that, he'll have to learn a thing or two from our heroes.

**Family Members: **Blazing Inferno (sister), Thorn Rose (brother), and Orochimaru (father)

**Hometown: **Black City of Unova.

**Achievements:** 0/40 Badges.

**Pokémon Team **(on hand):

- Glaceon (female) **known moves: **Water Pulse, Double Team, Icy Wind, and Hail.

- Cubchoo (male) **known moves: **Shadow Claw, Charm, Hail, and Ice Beam.

- Spheal (male) **known moves: **Mist, Water Pulse, Body Slam, and Ice Beam.

- Duskull (male) **known moves: **Ice Beam, Nightshade, Pursuit, and Confuse Ray.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>Blazing Inferno.

**Age: **13.

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Character's Description: **Blaze stands at an average height for her age. She has long red hair, which hangs down her back, pale skin, and yellow eyes.

**Outfit: **Blaze wears a red t-shirt, a pair of black skinny jeans, and a pair of sandals.

**Background Story: **Blaze is a contest enthusiast from Unova. For years, Blaze watched her idol, Konan, who became a member of the Elite Four, on television. Even though Konan wasn't a coordinator, it was her elegant battling style that inspired Blaze to take up contests, and show off her team like never before.

**Family Members: **Frost (brother), Thorn (brother), and Orochimaru (father).

**Hometown:** Black City of Unova.

**Achievements:** 0/5 Ribbons.

**Pokémon Team **(on hand)**:**

- Pignite (male) **known moves: **Work Up, Bulldoze, Brick Break, and Flame Charge.

- Heatmor (male) **known moves: **Hone Claws, Flame Burst, Fire Spin, and Shadow Claw.

- Pansear (male) **known moves: **Double Team, Flame Burst, Acrobatics, and Will-o-wisp .

**Dormitory: **Entei Red.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>Thorn Rose.

**Age: **17.

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Character's Description: **Thorn is a very tall teenaged boy with spiky green hair, pale skin, and yellow eyes.

**Outfit: **Thorn is usually seen in his school uniform. But on weekends, Thorn wears a long sleeve navy blue shirt with buttons, a pair of black trousers, and matching trainers.

**Background Story: **Thorn started training his Pokémon at the age of twelve like most trainers. Thorn's dream is to one day become a member of the Elite Four, and to become a master of grass type Pokémon. Although grass types do have quite a few weaknesses, Thorn's biggest mission is to create a sturdy team of grass type Pokémon with moves and abilities that make them more a threat than they seem.

**Family Members: **Frost (brother), Blaze (sister), and Orochimaru (father).

**Hometown: **Black City.

**Achievements:** Ranked as number 5 of the academy's top 10 battlers.

**Pokémon Team **(on hand)**: **

- Serperior (female) **known moves:** Safeguard, Dragon Tail, Giga Impact, and Coil.

- Sawsbuck (male) **known moves:** Aromatherapy, Energy Ball, Wild Charge, and Jump Kick.

- Roserade (female) known moves: Toxic, Venoshock, Energy Ball, and Shadow Ball.

- Abomasnow (male) **known moves: **Blizzard, Earthquake, GrassWhistle, and Brick Break.

- Leavanny (male) **known moves: **Hone Claws, Grass Knot, X-Scissors, and Hidden Power.

**Dormitory: **Suicune Blue.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>Rock Lee.

**Age: **13.

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Character's Description: **Lee has peach colored skin, black eyes, and black hair styled into a bowl cut.

**Outfit: **Lee wears a sleeveless shirt with a picture of a green Pokéball on the front, a pair martial arts pants, and flat martial art shoes.

**Background Story: **Lee has lived and trained with his grandparents in their Pokémon Dojo since he was small. After learning about the academy in Unova, Lee set off on a journey to better his team by battling others at Shiroi Academy, and by travling from region to region. His dream is to one day open a fitness resort where all trainers can train and relax along with their Pokémon all day.

**Family Members: **Tao Lee (grandfather) and Anna Lee (grandmother).

**Hometown: **Stark Mountain of Sinnoh.

**Achievements:** 0/40 Badges.

**Pokémon Team **(on hand)**:**

- Raichu (female) **known moves:** Charge Beam, Mega Kick, Double Team, Attract.

- Mienshao (male) **known moves:** Acrobatics, Work Up, Force Palm, and Poison Jab.

- Riolu (male) **known moves:** Brick Break, Bulk Up, Retaliate, Double Team.

- Scraggy (male) **known moves:** Payback, Dragon Claw, Scary Face, Hi Jump Kick.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>TenTen.

**Age: **13.

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Character's Description: **TenTen has dark brown hair and eyes. Her skin is a light peachy color, and her hair is styled into two buns.

**Outfit: **Her outfit consisted of a pink tank top, black shorts, a pair of black high-top sneakers with multicolored polka-dots, and a matching wrist band.

**Background Story: **TenTen has lived in Lilycove since she was small, and has watched her mother compete in against the all time masters of contest battling, and performance. At the age of twelve, TenTen, like many other beginning trainers received her first Pokémon, and an invitation to Shiroi Academy. Once she graduates and returns home, TenTen plans to travel the Hoenn region earning not just ribbons, but badges as well to strengthen her team.

**Family Members: **Zendaya (mother).

**Hometown: **Lilycove City of Hoenn.

**Achievements:** 0/8 Badges and 0/5 Ribbons.

**Pokémon Team **(on hand)**: **

- Ducklett (female) **known moves:** Aerial Ace, Aqua Ring, Water Pulse, and Tailwind.

- Sigilyph (male) **known moves: **Psyshock, Calm Mind, Ice Beam, and Miracle Eye.

- Cottonee (male) **known moves: **Growth, Grass Knot, Gust, Safeguard.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>Hinata Hyuga.

**Age: **12.

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Character's Description: **Hinata has navy blue hair, pale lavender eyes, and cream colored skin.

**Outfit: **Hinata wears a pastel green t-shirt, blue skinny jeans, and a pair of black flats.

**Background Story: **Both Hinata and her cousin Neji come from a clan who raise steel type Pokémon. In order to decide who takes over the gym in Johto, Hinata and Neji have to graduate from the academy, and then battle on Iron Island. The winner of course will become the new gym leader of Olivine.

**Family Members: **Hyuga Neji (cousin), Hyuga Hanabi (sister), Hiashi Hyuga (father).

**Hometown: **Olivine City of Johto.

**Achievements:** None.

**Pokémon Team **(on hand)**:**

**- **Shieldon (male)** known moves: **Ancient Power, Iron Defense, Rock Polish, and Flamethrower.

**- **Steelix (female)** known moves: **Ice Fang, Dragon Tail, Flash Cannon, and Autotomize.

**- **Magneton (no gender)** known moves: **Screech, Discharge, Gyro Ball, and Light Screen.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **So here are the trainer bios so far. Like I said before; I'll post a chapter like this to help refresh everyone's memory. Oh, and if anyone has any suggestions about the Pokémon the Naruto and the others should catch, feel free to drop me a review or PM.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: The White Academy Tournament.

_A Pokémon Coordinator is someone who raises Pokémon to compete in Pokémon Contests. _

_They raise their Pokémon much similar to regular Pokémon Trainers, although with much more emphasis on beauty and appearances since they are major factors when it comes to points in Contests. They need to train their Pokémon to have beautiful moves, and be able to do well in battles, as a battle tournament is the second round of a Contest. _

_Coordinators need a Contest Pass from a particular region to enter Contests there. Like Trainers, Coordinators travel throughout their region to catch and raise their Pokémon. However, unlike Trainers, their goal is to collect Ribbons instead of badges. However, unlike badges, Coordinators only get a single shot of winning a particular ribbon from a particular contest. They also must compete with other Coordinators for that ribbon. They need to collect five ribbons by winning various Contests in the region in order to be able to participate in that region's Grand Festival. If they win the Grand Festival, a Coordinator will receive the Ribbon Cup._

Coordinator-in-training Haruno Sakura reviewed her notes as she walked from class that evening. She read further into her notes covering some of the basic facts about preparing poffins.

_Poffin levels determine how much an aspect condition will be affected. Every Berry has a base level, which is the level you would receive if the Poffin were cooked in 60 seconds. __For example, an Aguav Berry has a base level of 14. This means completing in 60 seconds with zero burns and zero spills will yield a level 14 Poffin: 14 * 1 = 14. If, however, the Poffin was created in 40 seconds, it would be 14 * 3/2 = 21. The level 21 Poffin then contributes 21 condition stat points upon consumption (assuming a neutral nature). _

_Although logically this would imply that the higher level is better, this is only true for identical Poffins. This is because Poffins have __**smoothness**__, which contributes to a Pokémon's sheen level—Pokémon's sheen cannot exceed 255. Thus, the choice of Poffins has a big influence on the development of a condition. _

"Berries," Sakura said as she looked around the campus of White Academy. "That's what I need."

Planted around the academy were trees barring some of the most common berries around such as spicy Cheri berries, and sweet heart-shaped berries known as Peach. Sakura frowned at this, and began walking along the path leading directly to the darker much more dense part of the woodland area.

"The rarer berries must be around here somewhere…" she replied looking at the tree tops.

Figuring he could sniff some berries out, Sakura reached for Lillipup's Pokéball on her belt, tossing it high into the air. Within seconds, the small puppy Pokémon appeared ready for Sakura to command him. Sakura kneeled down and showed Lillipup some roughly drawn sketches of a Pamtre, Payapa, and Hondew berries she had drawn during class.

"Do you think you can find any berries like these?" Sakura pointed to the picture, and Lillipup cocked his head to the side before giving her an approving nod.

Once there, Lillipup began sniffing the air for any sweet scents that he could find. After about a minute or two, Lillipup barked at Sakura, and dashed off into the direction of the scent.

_Whoa, that sure was quick…_ Sakura thought as she followed Lillipup. Lillipup responded by stopping in front of a large tree and looking up at it.

Sakura looked around the uncharted area of the forest. Above Sakura was a grove of ripe berries, and blooming flowers. Around her were many different species of Pokémon just waiting to be caught. Sakura pointed her Pokédex at some of the Pokémon to scan them to scan them. The first she scanned was a Mime Jr. dancing around with her friends.

**Mime Jr.****: **_The Mime Pokémon_

_It habitually mimics foes. Once mimicked, the foe cannot take its eyes off this Pokémon._

As she read over the Pokédex entry, Sakura envisioned herself what it would be like to have a Mime Jr.

The two of them would step onto the stage with confidence, and ready to perform. For their performance, Sakura would be dressed as a genie dancer. Her outfit would consist of a red and sleeveless vest with gold trimming and stopped above her belly button, puffy cream-colored pants with a sapphire floral pattern, golden sandals, and tiny golden earrings. Her hair of course will be styled into a simple ponytail, held together with a red and sapphire barrette.

"Come on out Mime Jr.!" the pinkette called as she tossed her partner's Pokéball into the air.

From a sudden burst of light, followed by a cloud of puffy white smoke appeared Mime Jr., sporting a cute petite costume similar to Sakura's, and ready to wow the judges with her performance.

Following up to this, Sakura pulled out a pair of large red and blue maracas, and shook them in a rhythmical pattern. Mime Jr. responded to this by twirling around cutely under the stage's spotlight.

"Let's buggy Mime Jr.," Sakura called. "Use Teeter Dance!"

As Mime Jr. continued to dance, her hand began to glow with psychic power. The crowd and judges reacted to this by standing from their seats, and dancing along with Mime Jr. to the beat of the music that had been playing throughout their performance.

_Interesting, _Sakura thought to herself as she watched the group of Mime Jr. play near the Pamtre berry trees.

The next Pokémon to fly overhead was a Woobat. She scanned was a single shaggy creature before it flew off into the distant.

**Woobat: **_The Bat Pokémon._

_Its habitat is dark forests and caves. It emits ultrasonic waves from its nose to learn about it surroundings._

_I wonder… _Sakura read over the entry in Pokédex and dreamt about having Woobat as a partner.

Sakura would be dressed in a lacy pink short sleeved dress with a long lavender trail bow and small wings attached, a heart shaped pendant, white stockings, a cute golden tiara with lavender jewels in her hair, which was styled into two long pig tails, matching lavender gloves, and a pair of flat pink shoes with golden heart shaped buckles.

"Woobat, spotlight!" she shouted, pitching the Pokéball in her hands. Woobat appeared along within a shower of bright pink hearts onto the stage.

Sakura held up a golden scepter, topped off with a ruby red heart that wings attached to it, high into the air.

"Go, Woobat! Use Heart Stamp!" Sakura shouted.

Following his trainer's command, Woobat created a large coral colored heart using his psychic powers. The crowd, as well as the judges watched as the heart increased in size by the second.

"Now use Air Cutter!" Sakura commanded.

Woobat flapped his small black wings furiously, creating a powerful wind sickles powerful enough to cut through steel. The invisible blades of air collided with the heart, exploded, and created a shower of small hearts and pink sparkles that rained over the entire contest stadium.

Sakura watched as the wild Woobat flew off._ Hmm, I guess that one got away…Let's see if I can find something else?_

The last Pokémon Sakura decided to scan was a Teddiursa above her and Lillipup eating Beedrill honey.

**Teddiursa:** _The Little Bear Pokémon._

_It lets honey soak into its paws so it can lick them all the time. Every set of paws tastes unique._

Sakura smiled, and imagined what it would be like to have Teddiursa by her side.

Wearing a long sleeved turquoise Chinese style dress lined with golden trimming, with tights underneath, matching shoes, and her hair styled into a bun, tied with an elegant gold and white ribbon Sakura stood under the spot light of the stage with a confidant expression on her face.

"Teddiursa, it's show time!" she called. Sakura tossed the Pokéball high into the air, releasing the tiny bear cup from inside.

"Teddiursa!" he replied. A shower of shimmering blue sparkles surrounded his body, making it seem as though Teddiursa's fur was sparkling itself.

For his performance, Teddiursa sported a black martial arts headband. Teddiursa landed gracefully onto the performing stage in front of Sakura and the audience.

"Let's kick things off with Sweet Scent, Teddiursa!" Sakura commanded.

With a quick nod, Teddiursa held out his arms, and released a pink powder with light pink sparkles from his body. The crowd as well as the judges responded to this by sniffing the sweet aroma, and from their serene expressions, Teddiursa's performance was off to a great start.

"Go!" Sakura pointed at the wooden targets in front them. "Use Aerial Ace on those targets!"

At that moment, Teddiursa jumped at the targets and his body became surrounded by pink streaks, and petals from the previous Sweet Scent. Teddiursa then flew into the targets, and from the help of Sweet Scent Teddiursa took on the appearance of an elegant smelling, and pink cyclone. Within seconds, Teddiursa was able to destroy all of the targets, and land gracefully back onto the stage. Sakura would call this technique Pink Typhoon. From there, the crowd cheered loudly as Sakura and Teddiursa bowed humbly.

_Let's see if Blaze can match that, _Sakura thought smugly.

"That's it!" Sakura snapped back into reality, closing her Pokédex. "I have to capture that Teddiursa,"

She looked down at Lillipup. "Are you ready to battle?" she asked him. Lillipup nodded confidently.

"Good," Sakura pointed at the tree. "Start off by using Dig on the roots of the tree!"

Lillipup began digging around the roots of the tree at a rapid pace. Above Lillipup, Teddiursa continued to lick the fresh Beedrill honey that he had just stuck his paw into. After licking his paw clean, Teddiursa tried to stick his paw back into the honey, when suddenly, the tree began to tip over for reasons unknown. Up until this exact point, the small bear cub had not noticed Lillipup digging the roots of the very tree he was resting in. Sakura grabbed Lillipup and moved to a safe spot as the tree fell to the ground with a THUD! From within the tree's canopy, Teddiursa climbed out unharmed. The small bear cub raised his head up and looked around only to see Lillipup heading into his direction.

Lillipup tried pouncing onto Teddiursa, baring his sharp fangs. Teddiursa responded by dodging the attack, and countering with Aerial Ace. Now a spiraling tornado, Teddiursa's attack hit Lillipup head on. From the impact, Lillipup was thrown back against a nearby tree. However, this small K-9 wasn't about to give up just yet. Lillipup stood to his feet, shaking off any pain. Sakura felt relieved, and was about to call out her next command when suddenly, Lillipup began to glow. Sakura shielded her eyes from blinding light. Once it subsided, Sakura gawked in amazement of Lillipup's evolutionary changes. Lillipup had become slightly taller, twenty-three pounds heavier, and the black fur on his back became noticeably longer. Immediately, Sakura pointed her Pokédex at him.

**Herdier: **_The Loyal Dog Pokémon._

_It has black, cape-like fur that is very hard and decreases the amount of damage it receives._

"Herdier," Sakura repeated as she put away her Pokédex. She smirked. "I like the sound of that."

Herdier glared at Teddiursa, causing the small bear cub to tense up slightly. At that same instant, Herdier charged towards his opponent at a rapid pace, and then slammed his body into Teddiursa. Teddiursa was sent flying into the air, giving Sakura the perfect opportunity to chuck a Heal ball at him. The ball shook a couple of times before settling down completely.

"Alright!" Sakura walked over to the Pokéball, picked it up, and held it high. "Welcome to the team, Teddiursa."

"Way to go, Herdier." Sakura said smiling. "I'm going to make an extra batch of poffins just for you."

Hearing this made Herdier's tail wag as he and Sakura walked back to academy with an armful of berries. Around the evening hours, the Entei dorm's kitchen was empty until dinnertime, and free for Coordinators to cook poffins. Sakura blended up the berries she found before dumping them into batter. After that, Sakura poured the batter into separate molds, stuck the tray into the oven, and set the timer for thirty-five minutes. Her Pokémon watched hungrily as a fruity scent of berries wavered throughout the kitchen.

"Well, that's out of the way." she sighed, resting in a nearby chair. "Now all we have to do is wait patiently until they're finished baking…"

Sakura waited patiently for her poffins to bake. Spotting a pile of magazines on the windowsill, Sakura walked over to them and picked up the latest version of Coordinator Digest. On the cover was a famous Coordinator named Konan sitting atop her Venusaur. Beside Konan were her most trusted partners, Roserade, Scolipede, Vileplume, Swalot and Nidoqueen. Sakura was on the verge of skipping over to the article about a reporter interviewing Konan, when she spotted a couple of trainers running across campus. Looking into the near distant, Sakura could see a gathering of Entei students surrounding two trainers who were about to engage in battle.

The first trainer to make a move was a boy named Uchiha Sasuke. Sakura didn't know much about Sasuke, except that he was student in her Breeding course, and practically every girl was infatuated with him.

Sakura frowned a little as the image of the Sasuke Fan Club nearly trampling her to death earlier this morning played over again in her memory. Sure Sasuke was a nice looking person, but did most of his fan girls have to take the same courses as her? Speaking of which, did they have to flatten her just to get a seat near Sasuke?

On the opposing side of the field was none other than Namikaze Naruto himself. Sakura smiled a little as she watched one of her childhood friends carefully wait for Sasuke to make his move.

Sasuke tossed a Pokéball high into the air. "Purrloin, get out here!" he called out to his partner.

One of the original members of team Uchiha appeared in a gush of blinding light, and onto the field—although, Purrloin seemed more into grooming his fur than battling. Noticing this, Naruto figured that Zorua would be a great match up for Purrloin.

Naruto looked down at Zorua—she was still wearing the EXP Share as a crown. Naruto smiled at her, and pointed at Purrloin.

"Okay, Zorua." he said. "I want you to get out there and give your all. Got it?"

Zorua nodded, and confidentially approached Sasuke's Purrloin. To start the battle, Sasuke was the first to shout his command.

"Purrloin, attack with Fake Out!" Sasuke shouted. As soon as Sasuke had called out his command, Purrloin sprang into action.

_Wow,…that sure is fast…_ Naruto watched as Purrloin ran up to the Zorua and claps his paws together. After the seemly harmless clap, a large shockwave of air gushed out and shoved Zorua back a few feet.

Zorua recovered quickly and tried attacking with Shadow Ball. Zorua opened her mouth and created a black and purple ball. Zorua then fired it at Purrloin by smacking it with her puffy tail. The attack hit Purrloin head own, but did not seem to do much damage.

"Use Dark Pulse, Zorua!" Naruto called, and Zorua fired a beam of black and purple circles at Purrloin from her mouth.

Sasuke smirked at Naruto. "Counter with Pursuit, Purrloin!" he said.

Purrloin dodged Zorua's attack by somersaulting through the air, and landing behind the small kitsune. From there, he fired multiple waves of transparent crescent-shaped energy at Zorua by waving his tail in the air. Zorua dodged Purrloin's attack, and her eyes began to glow light blue as she jumped into the air, spinning her body while airborne. As she spun, her body started to glow with a pink aura. When Zorua landed, she took on a different appearance—the appearance of Sasuke, if you ignore the puffy black tail. Everyone watched Zorua, posed as Sasuke, approach Purrloin slowly. Purrloin briefly glanced back at the original, and then hissed at the illusion of his trainer ready to strike with Shadow Ball.

Zorua stopped, not wanting Purrloin to attack. "Purrloin…you would attack me would you?" Zorua asked the feline Pokémon in Sasuke's voice.

Purrloin didn't respond. Instead, he kept a close eye on the illusion. Zorua on the other hand was just waiting for the perfect opportunity for an attack. Just as Purrloin glanced back at Sasuke for a second time, she took this as an opening for an attack. Zorua transformed back into her former self, and then followed it up with Dark Pulse. Purrloin was thrown back from the powerful blast of the attack. As a result, he fainted, and Sasuke returned him to his Pokéball.

"Purrloin is unable to battle—victory goes to Naruto and Zorua!" Kakashi stated as he held up his right arm.

"Alright! Way to go Zorua!" Naruto congratulated Zorua by picking her up and dancing around with her.

Sasuke just narrowed his eyes at Naruto and placed Purrloin's Pokéball back onto his belt.

_That's Naruto for you…just as strong as ever._ Sakura grinned as she continued to watch Naruto dance around with Zorua.

_Just like old times… _Iruka smiled a little. Then, to Konohamaru and the gang, he said, "Kids, the second round is about to begin. Be sure to take plenty of notes, okay?"

The pint-sized trainers nodded, and each took out a small note pad and pen to write with.

"Zorua, I think you need to take a break." Since Zorua was still considered a baby, Naruto decided that it was best for her take small break between battles.

Zorua nodded and stood back. Naruto then glanced at Gengar, who seemed bored out his mind as he sat waiting for the next round to begin. Naruto approached the aggressive ghost Pokémon.

"The next round is coming up," Naruto started. "Do you want to battle?"

Gengar just stared blankly at the blond trainer for a short while as if to say "Of course I want to battle." Standing up, Gengar walked pass Naruto and took his position on the battling field. Okibi was on the edge of her seat, ready to record anything that Gengar did.

For round the next, Sasuke figured he would Zubat as his partner.

_With Zubat's Bite attack, this round should end quickly, _Sasuke smirked to himself as he held a Duskball in his hands.

"Zubat, get out here!" he shouted. As soon as the Pokéball was in the air, it popped open, and released Zubat within a purplish vortex.

"Have you both confirmed your choices?" Kakashi questioned the two boys. Naruto and Sasuke responded with a quick nod. "Alright, then begin!"

To kick off the second round, Sasuke reached into his pocket, and pulled out a round piece of candy suitable for Pokémon.

"Zubat catch!" he called, tossing the vitamin packed treat.

Zubat instantly few towards the candy, caught it, and swallowed it one gulp. As a result, his body began to glow with a sapphire colored aura—the aura of evolution. Once the light subsided, Zubat had evolved into a Golbat, and his appearance had changed. Golbat has a large mouth with two pairs of fangs, a pair of short legs, and a pair of small eyes.

"Golbat, use Mean Look!" Sasuke commanded.

Golbat closed his eyes and his body became surrounded in a dark purple aura. Golbat then reopened his eyes, which shined bright red. The purple aura then rises into the air and forms together into an oval shape. The aura had then solidified and formed into a black oval. The top part of the ovals then opened, forming itself into an eye with a pure black pupil. The eye itself, and the pupil had then become surrounded in a magenta aura and multiple smaller eyes—each with a magenta aura around it, form and appear around Golbat and spread throughout the battlefield. Once there, Gengar's body had become surrounded in the magenta colored aura, which quickly vanished around him.

Sasuke's smirked. He knew that Gengar would no longer be able to return to his Pokéball. If Naruto tried, a purple force field appears around Gengar, preventing Naruto from calling him back.

"Now! Attack with Bite!" Sasuke shouted, pointing his finger at Gengar.

Golbat flew after Gengar, tried chomping down on him with his sharp fangs.

"Use Double Team, Gengar!" Naruto called.

Rather than listening to Naruto, Gengar stood, and waited until the last possible second to attack. Gengar balled his right hand into a burning fist of fire and swung it at Golbat. Golbat retaliated by using Supersonic as close to Gengar as he could without being pummeled by Fire Punch. Golbat released a giant big blue energy disks from his mouth, which grew in size and flew towards Gengar. Gengar dodged most of them by using Double Team. Once the clones were destroyed, Golbat used Supersonic again, confusing Gengar on impact. Rather than seeing just one Golbat, Gengar was seeing an entire group. Gengar tried attacking each of them with a Fire Punch, but had no luck hitting Golbat.

_Great, now what am I going do…?_ Naruto asked himself mentally as he watched Gengar struggle.

Naruto held out Gengar's Pokéball, and tried recalling the confused ghost Pokémon to safety. However, since the effects of Mean Look remained, a purple force field of energy prevented Gengar's return.

Sasuke smirked to himself. _All according to my plan…_

"Let's wrap this battle up with Bite, Golbat!" Sasuke shouted.

Golbat flew after Gengar, and dodged the series of Fire Punches. Once there was an opening, Golbat chomped his fangs onto Gengar's head, and drained his remaining energy.

Kakashi waited to see if Gengar would retaliate, but nothing happened. "Gengar is unable to battle—victory goes to Sasuke and Golbat!" Kakashi held up his left arm.

The Sasuke Fan Club cheered loudly as Sasuke smirked in triumph over his victory. After the round was over, Naruto walked up to Gengar, who rubbed his head in pain.

"Gengar," he sighed, crossing his arms. "You sure are a pain in the neck you know…"

Gengar just glared at him. However, before Gengar could use any of his moves on him, Naruto spoke up.

"But, that's nothing we can't solve together." Naruto grinned holding out his hand to Gengar to help him up.

Gengar looked surprised and slightly confused at first as he stood up for himself. Crossing his arms in a childish manner, Gengar looked Naruto, and replied, "Gengar…" as if to say, "You better not lose in the next round," Naruto responded with a nod of his own. After that, Gengar walked over to where Zorua and Okibi were and sat down.

_I wonder if this counts as a break though for, Gengar…?_ Naruto wondered as he watched Gengar sat quietly without teasing Zorua.

"This is the last round, trainers." Kakashi said. "Be sure to make it count!"

"Come on out, Pansage!" Naruto was the first to toss a Pokéball. From the inside appeared the primate of nature called Pansage.

"Pansage!" The green simian replied as he landed onto the battling field.

"Take a break, Golbat." Sasuke returned Golbat to his Duskball, and pulled out an ordinary looking Pokéball from his belt. "Oshawott, get out here!" he called.

"Oshawott!" Oshawott made his debut onto the field in a fashion similar to Pansage. The small otter Pokémon appeared in a flash of light across from Pansage.

"Let's start off with Leer, Pansage!" Naruto shouted.

Pansage nodded, and glared at Oshawott menacingly. Oshawott seemed a little taken back, and stood motionless as Pansage continued to leer at him.

_Perfect,_ Naruto thought to himself. "Now! Follow it up with Energy Ball!" he commanded, pointing at Oshawott.

Pansage closed his eyes, and held both of his hands, which began to glow, in front of his body. Forming between them was a sphere of light green energy, which Pansage then fired at Oshawott. Oshawott cried out in pain as the attack hit him head on, and sending the flying nearly halfway across the battling field.

Naruto grinned. _If Pansage attacks with Energy Ball again, we'll win this battle in no time all._ "Again, Pansage! Use Energy Ball!" he called.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "What do you think you're doing? Snap out it, Oshawott!" he growled. Oshawott stood up, shaking off some the damage he received.

"Hurry and use Ice Beam!" Sasuke pointed at the Energy Ball that was heading in Oshawott's direction.

Oshawott took in a deep breath, and a light blue ball forms in front of his mouth. The light blue beams were then released from the ball, freezing Pansage's Energy Ball on contact. The frozen ball of ice fell to the ground, and Oshawott then proceeded to attacking Pansage with Ice Beam. Luckily, Pansage was able to dodge the attack.

"Let's step this game up a notch," Sasuke said. "Use Focus Energy!"

Oshawott closed his eyes and focused. As a result, his body became outlined in a red aura, which was sure to maximize his next attack.

_We have to stop Oshawott from powering up too much,_ Naruto thought. "Try using Leer again, Pansage!"

Pansage approached Oshawott and tried intimidating him with the glare he had. As soon as Pansage was close enough, Oshawott released his Ice Beam attack at full power, freezing Pansage instantly. The now frozen Pansage fell to the ground, naming Sasuke the winner of the last round.

"Pansage is unable to continue. Victory for the entire match goes to Sasuke and his team." Kakashi said.

Immediately, Naruto ran over to his frozen Pansage with his backpack. From the inside, Naruto pulled out his berry pouch, selected an Aspear berry. Naruto cracked the rock-hard berry with a pebble, and poured its sour juice onto Pansage, thawing him out. From there, Naruto returned Pansage to his Pokéball for a nice long rest.

"Interesting battling, Naruto." Kiba said and he approached his childhood friend/rival. "But I think you could learn a thing or two from me once you see how I battle."

The next match was Kiba verses one of his roommates, Chris. The two of them took their places onto the battling field after Naruto and Sasuke were finished.

"Chris I want you take it easy on my team just because we're roommate, got it?" Kiba said smugly with his arms crossed. On his side of the field, Akamaru was ready to battle.

Chris smirked a little. "I was going to say the same thing," he replied. For his first choice, Chris chose Axew to battle.

"Alright trainers, begin!" Kakashi said.

"Go Akamaru! Use Incinerate!" Kiba was the first to shout a command.

Akamaru approached little Axew and released burning flames from his mouth. Axew winced as the flames engulfed him. The small brown pouch, which held an Oran berry, had been scorched.

"Now, Akamaru! Attack with Bite!" Kiba pointed at Axew.

Akamaru ran after Axew at a rapid pace, bearing his sharp fangs.

"Not so fast! Axew, use X-Scissors!" Chris yelled.

Axew waited until Akamaru was close enough to slash the black and grey hyena with his horn, in an X like fashion. Akamaru dodged the attack by flipping his small body over Axew.

"Akamaru grab Axew by his using Bite!" Kiba commanded.

As he was commanded, Akamaru grabbed Axew by his horn using his fangs. Axew struggled trying to free himself from Akamaru's tight grip.

Kiba smirked seeing this. "Now throw him!" he shouted.

Using every bit of strength he had, Akamaru was able to send Axew flying. Luckily, Axew landed into the arms of his trainer, where the small hatchling was recalled.

"Axew is unable to battle—victory for the first round goes to Kiba and Akamaru." Kakashi said as he held up his right arm.

From there, Chris returned Axew to his Pokéball, and pulled a different one. Holding it tightly in his hand, he looked up at Kiba with a determined expression plastered on his face.

"Not bad Kiba, but you do realize that I'm done playing games now, don't you?" he asked. Kiba sent him smirk, and reached for Eevee's Pokéball.

"Let's go, Eevee!" Kiba shouted, tossing the Pokéball in his hand.

In a flash of light appeared the cute and cuddly fox, Eevee.

"Golurk, come on out!" Chris pitched the Pokéball in his high into the air.

From the inside appeared a Pokémon far larger than any opponent Kiba has ever faced. Golurk appeared to be an enormous suit of armor, with an oversized bandage over his chest, large fist, used primarily for his devastating attacks, and a small head with yellow eyes. It was as if the entire world shook and this Pokémon landed onto the battling field in front of Eevee. Naruto, Kakashi, Iruka, and even Sasuke and Gengar seemed overwhelmed by Golurk's presents. However, the only ones who seemed excited about Golurk were indeed Chris, and the trio of pint sized trainers from Jubilife City.

"Whoa!" Konohamaru was on the verge of approaching Golurk until Udon and Moegi held onto him by his shirt.

"Iruka-sensai," he started. "Will we be able to practice battle using giant Pokémon like that?"

Iruka was speechless as a vision of a Golurk, along with Dragonite, and Emboar destroying the school building with Dynamic Punch flashed through his head.

"No!" he said quickly snapping out his thoughts. The kids looked at him, and then, Iruka smiled and said, "What I mean is, you three will have go out and travel far away from Jubilife City to see such an enormous Pokémon."

Konohamaru looked a little disappointed. "Oh, okay…" he replied.

"The second match is about to begin," Kakashi stated. "Begin!"

"Go, Eevee! Use Bite!" Kiba called, and Eevee ran forth chomping his fangs down onto Golurk's massive foot.

Chris crossed his arms. "Golurk, you know what to do." he said.

Golurk nodded and bent down to grab Eevee from his foot. Eevee struggled to himself from Golurk's powerful grip, by biting his oversized fingers. However, Golurk didn't seem to feel a thing, giving the opportunity to attack. Golurk raised his mighty fist as if he were going to punch Eevee directly. To everyone's surprise, Golurk simply thumped Eevee's head, which was enough to knock out Eevee out completely. Seeing as he had already won this round, Golurk dropped Eevee into Kiba's arms calmly.

"Eevee is unable to battle," Kakashi held up his left arm. "Victory goes to Chris and Golurk!"

Returning Eevee to his ball, Kiba gritted his teeth, reaching for Blitzle's Pokéball. "It's not over yet!" he growled. "Blitzle, it's your turn now!"

In a flash of light appeared Blitzle ready to battle. Seeing as Chris already had Golurk on the field, and Kiba chose Blitzle, Kakashi gave the two boys the signal to start to the battle.

"Use Flame Charge, Blitzle!" Kiba commanded.

With his entire body covered in a blaze of fire, Blitzle ran after Golurk. Golurk tried grabbing the small zebra with his enormous hand. Blitzle dodged the attack by jumping onto Golurk's hand, and sprinting up his shoulder. Once he was high enough, Blitzle slammed his body into fire-coated body against Golurk's head. The massive giant moaned in pain, and went to grab Blitzle before he could attack again.

"Great, now use Flash Blitzle!" Kiba called.

Blitzle dodged Golurk's hand, and ran towards the front of his face. There, Blitzle's entire body flashed with a blinding light, causing Golurk temporarily blinding Golurk. Because of this, Golurk tripped over his own two feet, and started to fall towards the battling field. The surrounding trainers and their Pokémon fled before the giant's impact created another earthquake around the school. Dust covered the entire surrounding area, and cleared moments later, and revealed the rest of the battle. Since Blitzle was already facing Golurk, who seemed to be face down in the dirt, Blitzle decided to return to Kiba. However, as soon as Blitzle turned his back, Golurk lifted his arm, and thumped the side of the small zebra's head, knocking Blitzle out completely.

"Blitzle is unable to battle any longer—victory for the battle goes to Chris and his team." Kakashi replied.

"Well, I guess that's about it…" Kiba returned Blitzle to his Pokéball, and approached Chris, who was recalling his Golurk.

"That was great battle," Kiba stuck out his hand to Chris, who in return shook back.

Naruto walked up to Kiba. "And you say I need a coaching? You could use some yourself you know."

"How about I coach you both?" Chris suggested. "I just a semester ahead of the two of you, so we're near the same level."

Kiba and Naruto looked at each other, and then nodded in agreement. Over hearing this, Sasuke frowned.

_What a waste of time, _he thought, stuffing his hands into pockets.

"The four of you did an excellent job demonstrating. Here are your prizes." Kakashi handed each of the boys a ticket of some sort.

"Thanks," Naruto said as he examined the colorful piece of paper. "But what are these fo-"

Naruto was interrupted by the vast television screen over the academy's stadium. On the screen appeared Mistress Tsunade.

"Students of White Academy," she started. "Beginning tomorrow morning, you all will be able to sign up for our annual battling tournament between the hours of 8:00 am to 6:00 pm inside of the stadium. Please be sure to include your name, the Pokémon will be competing with, and your student ID."

"That's great and all, but what's the prize going to be?" Kiba suddenly said.

Naruto didn't answer. His eyes were glued, along with everyone else to the enormous screen.

"Just as last year, the winners of each division will receive a prize," Tsunade held up a trophy filled with Pokéballs. "And the prize for this year will be a rare species of Pokémon.

_Rare species...?_ Sasuke thought to himself. And then, he smirked. _Interesting..._

"That's right," Tsunade handed the trophy to her Grumpig. "Students, you may never get another chance like this again. So, be sure to give each and every battle your all!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I have to say that this chapter was enjoyable to write. How did you all feel about Sakura's choice of outfits and contest performances? Since she still a kid, they may seem a little childish. However, as she grows older, her outfits and contest performances will become more professional. As for her Pokémon, they may seem cute and cuddly right now, but as the story progresses; they will be fierce fighters just like Herdier. I'm sorry if I made Golurk a little over powered, but compared to Eevee or any of Kiba's team, Golurk is massive giant.

Anyway, the tournament that's just about to take place is where, other characters such as Garaa, Ino, Gai, other OC characters will appear challenging Naruto and the gang to battles, double battles, and even triple battles. Exciting don't you think? Oh, and before I forget, there's a poll on my profile about Kiba's Eevee. Since I was having such a hard time trying to decide what Eevee should evolve into, I came up the solution of letting you readers decide. Moves are also included.

Thanks for reading and reviewing everyone.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: Training and Trading.

_"Full Restore...check, antidotes...check, revives...check."_

With only two days before the actual tournament began, steel type specialist in training Hyuga Hinata sat quietly at her desk while she marked off certain items on a list.

_"A few X Speed...check, A few X Attack...check, and last but not least, do I have Full Heal...?"_ Hinata thought long and hard about the last item on her check list.

Mentally slapping herself, Hinata frowned a little. _"Oh, I knew I had forgotten something,"_ she thought to herself.

Hinata peered down at her turquoise colored Pokétch on her wrist—class would be over in about five minutes. As of now, Professor Orochimaru was giving the class a lecture about the legends of Reshiram and Zekrom.

"In the beginning, both Zekrom and Reshiram were once a single powerful Dragon Pokémon used by twin knights in order to create the Unova region by Arceus' orders. However, the brothers each sought something different in life,"

Sitting atop his desk, Orochimaru read his lesson directly from an old text book that was on the verge of falling apart. Held together by nothing but tape and paper clips, he continued to read aloud. "Truth for the older brother and ideals for the younger—and they began to argue, and then fight, over whose side was right. The single dragon, in response, split into two Pokémon: Reshiram, who sided with the older twin, and Zekrom, who sided with the younger twin."

To the left of Hinata sat of the professor's, Frost. Frost was particularly interested in his father's lesson. He took notes on almost everything his father had said that day. Out of curiosity, Hinata briefly peered over her should to see what Frost had written in his binder. Frost kept everything in his three ring note book fairly organized, and currently, he was doodling on a separate piece of paper of himself as a king, complete with a crown and scepter, and two servants who resembled Naruto, Sasuke, and Lee bowing down at his feet.

"The two dragons were equally matched as they battled and neither conquered the other. As a result, the brothers set aside their differences, and equally declared there was no right side, either. Yet, the sons of the heroes resumed the fight, and Reshiram and Zekrom destroyed the region with their fire and lightning powers. They subsequently disappeared afterward..." Orochimaru closed the book he held in his hands. "Some claim that the dragons took the form of harmless statues until one day, the two noble trainers return amongst the living, and battle one last battle in the ruins of the ancient castle.

"Be sure to study this lesson closely, class." he added. "There will be a test next Thursday. But until the time being, class is dismissed."

The bell rang letting out all of the students. That is, all except one, who happened to be the boy Hinata admired more than any other student: Namikaze Naruto. While everyone exited the class room, Naruto decided to take things easy and sleep until class was over. Apparently, this young trainer was having an amusing dream about being in a Pokémon battle.

In his dream Naruto was the age of sixteen, and had graduated from the academy. After conquering the entire Unova League, there was but one final battle to determine which trainer would battle against his father Minato. On the left side of the stadium stood Naruto with the mighty Zekrom in front of him inside an ancient coliseum. The fans of the crowd cheered loudly for the blond trainer. Across from the field, Naruto was facing another powerful trainer, Uchiha Sasuke, who controlled Reshiram.

"Now Reshiram! Use Fusion Flare!" Sasuke exclaimed.

Reshiram's tail began burning red as he roared, firing an enormous fire ball straight towards Zekrom.

"Counter with Fusion Bolt, Zekrom!" Naruto shouted.

Zekrom's tail begin glowing blue as a ball of electricity formed in his mouth. With one mighty blast, a giant electro ball was sent soaring across the field and struck Reshiram directly. However, Fusion Flare had hit home as well, bringing Zekrom to his knees.

"Zekrom, are you all right?" Naruto called out his partner. Zekrom's eyes flashed open and he stood with another roar.

"Alright! We're still in this! Now Zekrom! Use..." Naruto was just order Zekrom to use another attack, when he heard someone's voice echoing through his head.

He was hearing a Kiba's voice calling out to him, telling him to wake up. The coliseum around him, Reshiram, Zekrom, and the older version of Sasuke vanished from sight as Naruto began to awaken. As Naruto slowly opened his eyes, and looked around him, he spotted Kiba and Lee hovering over him.

"It's about time Naruto," Kiba said. "I thought you were never going to wake up."

"Oh, uh is class over already?" Naruto yawned/asked him.

"Yes, I was thinking the three of us should train together." Kiba answered. "You know, for the tournament?"

Naruto yawned again, but smiled. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." he stood up from his desk and stretched his arms into the air. Then, he noticed Hinata walking towards the door with some of the other students.

"Hinata would like to join us?" he asked her before she left the classroom.

Slightly surprised, Hinata turned around to face the golden haired trainer, her face heat up slightly.

"Uh, I have something to take care of right now." she answered, quickly, and then left the classroom before Naruto could ask her any more questions.

Naruto looked surprised. "Oh, okay." he called after her. "Maybe next time."

_Oh, I really hope I didn't blow my chance..._ Hinata thought as she rushed down the hallway clutching her books to her chest.

Rather than thinking too hard about, Hinata continued to walk towards her dorm. When she arrived, the dorm was fairly quiet, which of course meant that her roommates weren't there. Smiling, Hinata took the advantage of this moment to sit down her backpack, as well as her books. With only a couple of days left, the only thing on Hinata's mind was getting prepared for any setbacks that may come her way. However, it wasn't Hinata who was entering the tournament, but rather her self-made alter ego named Tenshi Hana.

Tenshi Hana fearless trainer who battled with great skills and confidence. All of which Hinata seemed to be lacking in recently. Tenshi has long curly emerald green hair, and hazel nut colored eyes. She wore a sapphire halter top, and over it she wore a silky thin strap white dress that stopped just above her knees, along with a pair of white Capri pants, gold hoop earrings, two golden bangles on each of her wrists, and a pair of flat matching trainers.

Hinata took one last look into the mirror making any last adjustments if necessary to her attire. _Perfect,_ she thought with a smile.

Before heading to the stadium, Hinata, or Tenshi in this case, walked to Apotos. Here, she would purchase some Full Heals. The local store was managed by an academy student with fiery red hair named Iris. Iris' Pokemon, also hung out during her shift, and would also help customers look for specific items.

"I haven't seen you around here before..." Iris said as she placed Hinata's items in a small paper bag. "Are you new student at the academy?"

Now realizing that she still wore her Entei pendant, Tenshi answered, "Not exactly. I'm a trainer from Black Academy here to participate in the tournament."

Iris smiled at her. Even though Black Academy were rivals of White Academy, she was still polite.

"Good luck in the tournament," she replied handing Tenshi her bag of Full Heals.

Returning the favor, Tenshi gave a small a bow before receiving her purchased items, and heading out the door of the shop. From there, she found a nice quiet spot on a local beach to train her team. Tenshi released her Pokémon from their Pokéballs. Expecting to see Hinata, Shieldon, Magneton, and Steelix appeared before their trainer happily. However, once the trio of steel type Pokémon noticed that Hinata wasn't dressed as her usual self, they gawked at her in confusion.

"Don't worry," she reassured them. She lifted the green wig from her head as proof to her partners. "It's still me, but I'm trying a new approach to battling."

Although skeptical at first, Hinata's Pokemon gave her an approving nod to show that they understood what she meant.

"This looks like a great spot to train," A voice said.

Hinata readjusted her wig of costume. From behind one of the thick palm trees, she spotted Naruto, Lee, Kiba, and their Pokemon approaching her. But before the three of them went to train, Kiba suggested that they should stop by the shop in Apotos for TMs.

"Let's see..." Kiba reached into the large bag of items he'd purchased earlier. "I think I'll use this one of Eevee, and this one on Blitzle...oh, and this one looks it'll be perfect for Akamaru."

Naruto and Lee watched as Kiba pulled out nearly all of the TMs from the paper bag. Rather than spending his all of his allowance on TMs, Naruto selected a few items that could be of use during and before and after the tournament. Lee, on the other hand, purchased some special martial art sashes for his team. In fact, Raichu was wearing her special pink Focus Sash as if were a bow on her tail.

"Okay Blitzle," Kiba held up a brown earthy colored TM to Blitzle's forehead. "Get ready to learn Earthquake!"

The disk began to glow as Kiba spoke. Once the light subsided, Kiba pointed his mahogany Pokétch at Blitzle to scan him. A small pop-up screen indicated that the scanning was complete. As soon as Kiba read over the small list of Blitzle's moves, he frowned.

"That can't be right," he tapped his Pokétch. "Blitzle's moves are exactly the same..."

"Uh…maybe Blitzle is unable to learn Earthquake?" Naruto said, and Kiba just shrugged it off.

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter." Kiba replied with a smile. "I still have a lot of other TMs to use."

"Oh, do you mean the same TMs that Aipom is making off with?"

Kiba looked at Lee who was pointing to a purple primate-like Pokémon with large ears, a cow lick hair style, and a long tail with a strange hand-like tip, which was being used to carry Kiba's TMs away.

"Hey!" Kiba shouted, and chased after it. "Get back here!"

Before climbing any further up the tree, Aipom glanced at Kiba and stuck out its tongue. Kiba glared at the oddly colored primate, and then chased after it with his Pokemon. Above, Aipom curiously tested some of the TMs for itself. If one TM was not of its interest, Aipom would simply toss the TM aside, and Kiba and his Pokémon would catch them.

"Let's help them out," Tenshi whispered to her team. "Shieldon, use Ancient Power on that tree!"

Following the command of his trainer/parent, Shieldon body began to glow white as he created a silver energy ball in front of his nose. Shieldon then launched the ball at the tree, splitting the trunk in half instantly. This of course had caused Aipom to jump from his current tree to another. Along the way, Aipom dropped the rest of Kiba's TMs, which Lee and Naruto caught before they hit the ground. Before commanding any of his partners to attack, Kiba pointed his maroon Pokétch at the wild Aipom. Apparently, Aipom was a male, and his known moves were Nasty Plot, Brick Break, Acrobatics, and Rain Dance.

Kiba smirked as he remembered one of Asuma's lessons on TMs. During a rainstorm, or in this case Rain Dance, Thunder, one of the few TMs Kiba purchased for Blitzle, has perfect accuracy. At that same instant, Kiba pulled out an empty Pokéball, and chucked it at Aipom. With only seconds away from a new partner, Kiba smirked as he imagined Blitzle blasting his opponents away with the all powerful Thunder attack. However, his fantasy was cut short by a passing Bronzor, who was sucked into the empty Pokéball instead of Aipom. The wild Bronzor didn't put up much of fight. In fact, it was almost as if Bronzor wanted to be captured and trained. The ball shook a couple of times before settling down completely.

"Aww man…" Kiba's face fell as he watched Aipom fled into the opposite direction of him and the others. From there, he approached Bronzor's Pokéball and held in his hands, and looked at it. "Looks like I'm stuck with you…"

Aipom may have fled from Kiba, but his efforts were cut short by Steelix, who used Flash Cannon to attack Aipom. A silver ball of energy formed at Steelix's mouth. The ball then turned into a silver beam and was then fired it at Aipom. After taking on the sheer force of the attack, Aipom fell from the tree branch he was on, and was on the verge of hitting the ground. Tenshi took the advantage of this moment to toss a Pokéball at the purple primate. After shaking a few times, the Pokéball eventually settled down, officially making Aipom part of Tenshi's team. Steelix slithered over to the Pokéball, grasping it with her powerful jaws. From there, she lowered her head, and dropped the Pokéball straight into Tenshi's hands. Tenshi thanked her enormous steel-type snake with a warm smile, and a pat on the head.

Back with Naruto and the gang, Kiba was still sulking about the Aipom that had gotten away. Kiba released the dual-type creature from it's Pokéball, and stared at it. Bronzor stared back at him with same hard stare.

"Look Kiba, if you really want to get rid of Bronzor, I'll take it off your hands." Naruto said, breaking the silence.

Kiba looked up from Bronzor. "Okay," he replied. "But in return, I want you to trade me your Gengar. He's pretty powerful from what I've seen."

"Huh?" Naruto looked at Kiba with wide eyes. Even if Gengar was difficult to control, he was still the power house of Naruto's team.

"No way!" Naruto sated firmly as he crossed his arms.

"You can't be serious!" Kiba shouted at him. "Gengar doesn't even listen to you half the time!"

Glaring at Kiba, Naruto was about to shout something back until Tenshi approached them holding the very Pokéball that contained Aipom.

"Excuse me," she spoke softly. "But I was wondering if you wanted to trade your Bronzor for my Aipom?"

Completely forgetting about that he was in middle of an argument with Naruto, Kiba asked, "Really?"

Tenshi simply nodded while Kiba responded by getting a head start on the path leading to the nearest Pokémon center dragging Tenshi with him. Simply shrugging at each other, Lee and Naruto followed their hasty friend/classmate back into the town of Apotos.

"Are you ready?" Tenshi asked. She was standing on the left side of the trading machine with Aipom's Pokéball.

Standing on the opposing side, Kiba nodded. "You bet."

By Kiba placing Bronzor's ball into the machine, the trade had officially started. The trainers watched as the phrase, **"Let the trading begin!"** flashed onto the machine's screen. From there, the Pokéballs suddenly vanished, and the silhouettes of the Pokémon could be seen passing one another. Once the shadows arrived to the opposite ends of the machine, the screen flashed **"Trading has been completed!"** Kiba and Tenshi were free to claim their new partners.

"Alright!" Kiba held Aipom's ball high into the air with a wide grin one his face. "Aipom, your officially part of team Inuzuka."

After placing Bronzor's Pokéball in her brown messenger bag, Tenshi looked up only to notice Naruto staring at her. She smiled at him warmly. As a result, Naruto's cheeks flushed with color as he grinned back at her.

"My name is Rock Lee," Lee replied as he stepped in between the two them taking Tenshi's hand into his own. "And you are one of the most beautiful trainers that I have ever seen. Would do me the honor of going on a date with me?"

Naruto felt his eye twitch a little. He, as well as Lee and Kiba had just met this girl and Lee was already asking her out on a date?

For a moment, Tenshi looked surprised. But then she said, "Sorry, but my team and I have a lot training to do."

"Oh, I see." Lee released her hand, still smiling. "No problem."

The three boys parted ways with Tenshi and went resume their training on the beach.

"You know," Lee said as they headed towards the beach. "I get the feeling that this year's tournament is going to interesting."

Noticing Tenshi from the corner of his eyes, Naruto grinned to himself. _Oh yeah. This is going to be one interesting battling competition._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **So far, there is a tie between Jolteon and Leafeon on the poll. For a little while longer, I'll leave the poll up. By the next couple chapters, however, the poll will end.

It seems like Hinata has planned to enter the tournament as her alter ego Tenshi Hana. Speaking of which, the tournament has been arranged to take place in the next chapter. And like I said before, other characters will appear from the opposing school to the north, which none other than Black Academy.

Thanks for reading and reviewing everyone.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Opposites Interact!

Edgar to battle the competition that waited, Sakura awoke that following morning bright and early. To mark the occasion, Sakura chose to wear something different than her usual outfit. Today, Sakura wore a white robe with short and silky sleeves, a matching white belt with a gold buckle, a pair of carnation pink shorts, red knee length boots, red fingerless gloves, and gold hoop earrings. Sakura took one last look in the mirror. Once satisfied with her look, and after styling her hair into a simple pony tail, Sakura headed out the door with her fanny pack of items and her Pokéballs.

_Let's see... I have the bottom half a Milotic… _In her hands, Sakura held the key card.

The key card's purpose was to unite Sakura and her partner for Tag Team Contest Battles. All Sakura had to do was find a trainer with the top half of a Milotic card. Easy enough, right? Rather than standing outside in the hot sun, Sakura walked to the stadium to find her partner. When she arrived, there was a large amount of coordinators who were training with their partners or relaxing. Most of the trainers were practicing before their performance began. There were many different kinds of Pokémon from all over the globe. The trainers themselves had their Pokémon doing all sorts of tricks such as an Emolga and Raichu who played volley ball by using Electro Ball, a Turtwig and Cherubi who used Magical Leaf and Razor Leaf to slice colorful toy balls which tossed into the air, and a Glameow who jumped threw a Flareon's Fire Spin. The coordinators and Pokémon were all practicing hard and the entire building was just full of them. It was going to be difficult for Sakura to find her partner here.

Figuring she should start searching, Sakura spotted a male trainer sitting with his Piplup in his lap. Sakura approached the boy and his partner.

"You wouldn't happen to have the top half of a Milotic, would you?" she questioned as she held out her card.

Looking at it, the boy shook his head. "No, I have top part of a Buneary." he answered. Sakura's face fell.

"But, there was another girl who stopped earlier who asked me about that," he added.

Sakura perked up. "Oh?" she asked. "Who is she?"

The boy was on the verge to answering Sakura's question, when the sound of clacking heels was heard. As she drew near, Sakura then realized the sound was coming from Blaze. Blaze wore a long sleeved black blouse that show her shoulder blades and part of her stomach, a ruffled red skirt that was long on the left side and short of the right, a pair fishnet stockings underneath, a golden armlet, and a pair of red high heels. Her hair was styled into a neat bun. Sakura would have considered her cute if it weren't for the sullen expression on her face.

"Oh, there she is." The boy said. "She's the trainer with the matching picture you were looking for."

_You have got to be kidding me…_ Sakura thought to herself as the other trainer left with his Piplup, and Blaze approached her.

Blaze walked towards Sakura with her arms crossed. "So it is true," she said. "You and I are going to be partners."

"We really shouldn't jump to conclusions," Sakura held out her piece of the key card. "Maybe there are other trainers who aren't paired up."

Blaze sighed as she pulled out her own key card. "It's worth a shot, I guess..."

Both girls held their cards together, which created the perfect image of a shiny Milotic. There was denying the fact that Blaze and Sakura would partners for the tournament. Instead of talking, Sakura and Blaze waited quietly in the lobby of the stadium. Because of the flat screen in front of them, the girls and the other coordinators could see what was happening on stage.

The lights went dark, and a spotlight shone on the middle of the stage on a woman. The woman had long brown hair and brown eyes. Dressed in a strapless emerald green dress that stopped just above her knees, and brown boots, she held the microphone close to her lips.

"Greetings contest fans! Today we are gathered here today to see which team of coordinators will take home these fabulous, and rare mystery Pokémon!" she said. The announcer had then pulled out two Pokéballs to show to the crowd.

The crowd roared in applause.

"Now let's introduce our judges!"

The light lit up and shone on the three people sitting down at the judging panel.

"Here, we have the professor of Pokémon Coordination of White Academy, Yuhi Kurenai!"

Sitting on the left end of the panel was a woman with dark wavy hair and crimson eyes. She wore a white long sleeved dress with black tights, and red heels. Smiling, she turned towards the camera and gave a short nod.

"Next we have the infamous professor Jiraiya, who is visiting all the way from Johto!"

An elderly man with long white hair sat next to Kurenai. He was dressed in a lab coat that was almost as white as his hair, brown pants, and loafers.

Jiraiya smiled warmly, and gave a small wave.

"And last, we have our academy's very own Nurse Shizune!"

Nurse Shizune sat on the end of the panel. She was wearing her usual nurse's uniform.

"Remember to stop by the Pokémon booth for free checkups after battling." Shizune replied.

"And there you have it—our judges. My name is Ayame and I will be your Master of Ceremonies this fine morning. Now, let the contest begin!" Ayame said. "For our first performance, we have two lovely girls from Black Academy. Give a warm welcome to twin pop stars, as well as coordinators, Ino and Shiho!"

The crowd roared as two preteen girls appeared on stage. As Ayame said before, Ino and Shiho were twins and part of a singing and dancing group. Their band is called Forever Love. Both girls had pupil-less aquamarine colored eyes, and platinum blond hair. However, Ino's hair was much longer than her twin's, and worn in a ponytail. Ino's partner was Dewgong. Shiho, on the other hand, had short hair, which hung to about her chin. Shiho's partner was Jynx. Since the theme for the battle was Feudal Era Attire, the girls wore matching lavender kimonos, straw sandals, and white tabi. Opposing the twins were two other coordinators with a Lairon and a Dustox.

"Begin!" Ayame shouted, giving each trainer their cue to start calling commands to their partners.

The twins had a habit of combing their singing with battling. To kick off their performance, Ino and Shiho turned their microphones on, and began singing as music played.

As the twins sang their signature Banana Heartbreak song, their partners Jynx and Dewgong danced along to the music which helped them dodge the opponent's attacks easily. The opposing team struggled to even land one attack on the two of them. As a result, the other team's points were nearly down halfway. However, that was about to change. To finish off their opponents, Ino and Shiho changed the beat of the music. The beat suddenly changed from its bubbly pop to a sinister sounding heavy metal.

During this portion of the song, Jynx and Dewgong finished off the rest of their opponent's points with a combination of Heart Stamp, and Blizzard. First, placed her hands at her mouth and blew heart shaped kisses at the opposing team. Following up to that, Dewgong froze the hearts with Blizzard which flew straight at the opposing team, finishing them. Ino and Shiho called this move Icy Kiss of Death. As Lairon and Dustox were returned to their Pokéballs, Ino and Shiho took a bow while the audience roared with excitement.

"Don't forget to check your local music store," Shiho said as preppy as she could.

"Our new Princess Aipom Album is now available!" Ino finished her twin's sentence with a tone almost as preppy.

"What a magnificent performance by twin coordinators Ino and Shiho!" she said as the crowd roared with excitement. "Hopefully, we'll be able enjoy more of their catchy music later within the contest. What do out judges have to say about that?"

Kurenai nodded approvingly. "Interesting...by distracting the opposing team with music, they were able to execute an impressive performance."

Jiraiya agreed. "What an amazing technique. Probably the best so far."

Nurse Shizune smiled warmly. "I agree also. These two must really care for their Pokémon."

"Wow," Back in the lobby, Sakura watched in awe as the twins bowed on last time receiving praise from the crowd. "That sure was different from the battles I'm used to..."

"Hn, I've seen better." Blaze just shrugged and continued to watch the television.

"Next up we have the daughter of the infamous coordinator Zendaya, and the son of the Pastoria Gym Leader," Ayame said as Ino and Shiho exited the stage. "Ladies and Gentle Men allow me to introduce TenTen and Choji!"

Sakura smiled a little as she spotted one her roommate walk onto stage. TenTen was wearing a sky blue kimono and a pair of sandals. Her hair was let down, and styled into two loop style pigtails. Competing with her was a boy named Choji. Choji was a chubby boy with his face painted white, two red swirls on his cheeks, and his outfit resembled a Shogun's uniform. Across from them were two other trainers dressed in a similar fashion.

"Let the battle begin!" Ayame shouted.

"Sigilyph, let's go!" TenTen shouted, tossing a Pokéball into the air.

"You too, Wartortle!" Choji called after TenTen.

From within a cloud of clear bubbles and appeared both Sigilyph and Wartortle. For the contest, Wartortle wore a petite size outfit similar to his trainer's, and Sigilyph appeared as his usual self. The opposing team consisted of Roselia and Poliwhirl.

"Use Ice Beam, Sigilyph!" TenTen was the first to shout his command.

A bluish-white orb appeared in front of Sigilyph, which he then fired at the stage, and created an icy plat form which Wartortle then used to trip the opposing team with Rapid Spin. Roselia and Poliwhirl were steady losing points as they continued to slip and slide trying to avoid Wartortle. After a short while, Poliwhirl caught onto their plan and was able to stop Wartortle with it's gloved-like hands. However, Choji hand planned for this.

"Attack Wartortle!" he shouted quickly. "Use Aqua Tail!"

Just as Poliwhirl had lifted his shell, Wartortle immediately poked his tail from within his shell, and slapped the tadpole Pokémon. Startled by the surprise attack, Poliwhirl tripped over its feet and crashed into Roselia. Wartortle had then returned to the other side of stage where Sigilyph was by skating on the ice. Soon after, Wartortle and Sigilyph finished off their opponents by combining Psyshock and Ice Beam creating a silver colored stream of icy, as well as psychic power.

"What a dazzling performance, by these two aspiring coordinators!" Ayame called.

The crowd roared with excitement as TenTen, Choji and their Pokémon bowed. Meanwhile, Sakura was still staring at the television screen in amazement.

"Wow...I'd hate to go up against them later on..." she said aloud.

"It was okay, but not perfect." Blaze commented in her usual snooty tone.

Sakura was just about to speak again, when a man holding a clip board walked up.

"Excuse me," he replied, looking down at his pad. "But are you Sakura and Blaze?"

The girls nodded.

"The two of you have twenty minutes to get dressed yourselves, and your Pokémon for the upcoming performance." The contest official said. "The dressing room is located down the hall."

Nodding again, the girls walked towards the dressing rooms. Here, Sakura found herself standing in front of the mirror. Still wearing her outfit she had dressed in earlier this morning, she frowned.

_If I had known we were allowed to make costume changes, I wouldn't have changed my clothes this morning..._ she thought.

Sakura's partner for her upcoming battle was going to be Skitty. Unaware her trainer's troubled expression, Skitty continued to play around with a prop someone had left behind.

"Okay, Skitty." Sakura said turning to looked around at all of the costumes in front of her. "We need to find the perfect costume for our performance."

"Meo," Skitty replied looking up at her.

After spending nearly half of her time, Sakura had finally constructed the perfect outfit for her performance. Sakura picked out a short black kimono with a pink floral pattern that stopped just above her knees with a long red trail bow attached to it, a pair of black tights and fingerless gloves, a pink head band, and a pair of straw sandals. Her hair remained in a long pony tail. As for Skitty, Sakura found a petite size matching head band, as well as a red ribbon to tie on her tail.

"Aww, you look so cute, Skitty." Sakura giggled. In response, Skitty purred and rubbed against Sakura's leg.

"So, are you ready to go?" A voice said.

Turning around, Sakura came face to face with her partner Blaze. Blaze wore a Shinto priestess' uniform. The top part of her kimono was solid white, while the pants she wore were red. For the occasion, Blaze let her hair hang loose. Her partner, Heatmor, wore a headband made of rope similar to a sushi chef, and a black kimono top suitable for a Pokémon.

Sakura promptly nodded at Blaze's question. From there, the two of them headed towards the stage. The girls were a little early. Sakura poked her head through the curtains to catch a glimpse of the crowd. There were hundreds, maybe even thousands of people her for the tournament. This of course didn't help with her nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. She'd hoped that Naruto and Kiba were there in the audience to support her. But then again, the two of them had battles to prepare for as well and were probably out training by now.

"For the third round, we have a pair of coordinators from our very own White Academy." Ayame announced. "Allow me to introduce coordinators in training, Haruno Sakura and Blazing Inferno!"

Nearly jumping out her skin at the sound of her voice, Sakura froze. Was she ready for this? This was after all her first contest battle. However, it was too late for her to turn back now-her legs had already made the decision for her. Returning Skitty to her Pokéball, Sakura followed Blaze onto the stage. Since there were only a few rounds left, the battling stage was quite different for the last. It resembled a Japanese Lantern Festival complete with small booths for obtaining ramen and dango, festive drums, and large floats that seem to rotate around the stage in a steady pace.

"Going up against these two are another pair of inspiring coordinators. Allow me to introduce Shion, and Haku Yuki!" Ayame said, and the crowd cheered loudly.

Opposing Sakura and Blaze were two of their classmates. The first was girl named Shion. Shion had lavender eyes, and light blond hair that falls past her waist, which she keeps tied at the end with a bow. For the contest, Shion was dressed as a priestess like Blaze. She wore a white and lavender kimono, a golden crown, white tabi, and straw sandals.

Haku on the other hand was a male coordinator despite his very feminine appearance. Haku has very long black and brown eyes. He also wore light brown platoon sandals with straps in the same color as his kimono and nail polish on his fingernails and toenails in matching blue green color. When wearing this outfit, Haku's long hair was gathered in a white bun holder tied with a green blue, while two locks of his hair fell loose framing his face, bound with metal hair cuffs at the ends.

"Haku, I believe we have this battling in the bag," Shion said smugly, as she crossed her arms. "Gothitelle and I have already foreseen the outcome of this battle."

Both Sakura and Blaze rolled their eyes a little. Shion had a habit of "predicting" every outcome of every battle she took part in.

"Remember trainers, there is a five minute time limit! Let the battle commence!" Ayame began the match. The coordinators reached for their Pokéballs, set with the Pokémon they were going to choose.

"Skitty, it's show time!" Sakura called.

Skitty appeared within a shower of pink and black hearts, and landed gracefully onto the stage.

"Heatmor, battle dance!" Blaze shouted.

With a toss of a Pokéball, Blaze's Heatmor appeared within a burst of orange and red flames.

"Gothitelle, let's go!" Shion called to her partner as she tossed a Pokéball into the air.

In a shower of black and white confetti appeared Shion's partner. Gothitelle appearance was similar to that of a young woman wearing Gothic Lolita fashion. Gothitelle's face is colored purple and she also has pink lips and blue eyes.

Haku was the last to call upon his partner. "Froslass, you're up!" he shouted.

At first, only a thick cloud of smoke was visible. However, as the smoke cleared, Haku's partner appeared. The body of Froslass resembled a kimono, due to the fact that the red band around her waist is reminiscent of an Obi. Her arms, which hang off the sides of her head like ears, and consist of three small fingers.

Immediately, because she knew her partner had the type advantage, Blaze commanded Heatmor to attack Froslass.

"Go Heatmor!" Blaze pointed at Froslass. "Attack with Shadow Claw!"

Following the command of his trainer, Heatmor held out his paw and his lower arm became surrounded by a black aura with a purple outline. The aura then took the form of a huge claw as Heatmor tried slashing Froslass with it.

"Dodge it!" Haku said quickly.

Before the attack to hit her, Froslass disappeared, and then reappeared behind Heatmor.

"Now use Ominous Wind!" Haku called.

From there, Froslass opened her mouth creating a cyclone of purple wind, which sent Heatmor whirling back. Blaze glared at Haku seeing as Froslass' attack had cost her and Sakura quite a few points.

"Stand back, and let me show how a real coordinator battles." Sakura took a step forward.

"Skitty, use Shock Wave!" she shouted.

Skitty ran forth ready to attack. There, her tail became surrounded in light blue electricity and then she fired a beam of blue electricity at Froslass. The beam was about to hit Froslass until Shion had Gothitelle step in.

"Gothitelle, Thunderbolt!" Shion said.

Gothitelle used an electric type move of her own, Thunderbolt, to cancel out Skitty's Shock Wave. By placing her hands in front of her body, Gothitelle was able to create a yellow beam of energy which collided with Shock Wave, and created a small explosion. Once the smoke cleared, Shion didn't waste anytime.

"Now, attack with Psychic!" she pointed at Skitty.

Gothitelle's eyes were suddenly begun to glow a light blue color. Skitty's body had then become outlined in light blue and Gothitelle can controlled her using only her mind. Slowly, Skitty was lifted from the ground and then sent crashing by one of the nearby lantern floats.

"Skitty!" Sakura gasped, and Blaze just smirked.

"Real coordinator, huh?" she said placing one of her hands on her hips.

"Oh, shut up!" Sakura snapped back. After calming down a bit, she said, "Look, the only way we're going to win this is if we work together. Got it?"

"Tell me something I don't know," Blaze rolled her eyes. Looking over to her pink haired partner, she asked, "Did you have anything mind?"

Sakura thought for a second or two before replying or rather shouting, "Got it!"

"Okay… but what exactly is "it"?" Blaze questioned, slightly annoyed.

Sakura winked at her. "You'll see in a minute. First, let's work on taking out Haku's Froslass. Since Heatmor has the type advantage, this will be a breeze."

For the first part of her plan, Sakura ordered Skitty to use an attack.

"Use Hidden Power, Skitty!" she yelled.

After shaking off any pain she had received, Skitty got a running start, and then jumped high into the air. There, her body became surrounded by light blue circles of aura. Part two, Skitty needed the assistance of Heatmor.

"Heatmor, use Fire Spin!" Blaze commanded. "And aim for those balls of aura!"

Just as Skitty released her attack, Heatmor unleashed a spiraling fire from his mouth at the spheres of aura. Once there, Hidden Power began to swirl together forming into a large vortex striking Froslass. Once hit, Froslass became trapped in a pillar of fire, making her easy target for Heatmor to finish.

"Let's try this one more time," Blaze said. "Heatmor, attack with Shadow Claw!"

"Not so fast, Gothitelle use Reflect!" Shion yelled.

Appearing in front of her partner, Gothitelle stuck her hands out in front of her body, and created a huge and shining multicolored ball. Heatmor's Shadow Claw simply bounced off the barricade leaving the opposing team unharmed. During this time, Sakura took a few moments to observe the score board. Both team's points were a little over half. However, since Heatmor's attack was canceled out, Haku and Shion were ahead by an inch. Now, the only option for the girls was to either knock out one of the opponents, or stall for more time.

Without thinking, Sakura yelled, "Use Assist, Skitty!"

A white orb suddenly appeared on Skitty's front paw. Skitty then used a random move, which just so happened to be Shadow Claw on Gothitelle's barrier. Joining in Heatmor used Shadow Claw for himself, and along with Skitty destroyed the barrier, and gave Froslass and Gothitelle a powerful double Shadow Claw attack.

"Time's up!" Ayame said, just as buzzer went off. "And the winning team is…Sakura and Blaze!"

The four coordinators, as well as the crowd turned their attention towards the score board. The battle was now over and Sakura and Blaze had won by quite a few points. The girls smiled at their Pokemon, and hugged them close. While Shion ignored them and sourly returned Gothitelle to her Pokéball, Haku gave the girls a friendly bow and left the stage with his Froslass.

"Not bad," Blaze said to her. "But, you're going to need a lot more training to keep up with me and team."

Sakura smirked at her. "I was just thinking the same thing."

After winning their first match, Sakura and Skitty were headed towards the lobby for a small break, when she spotted Sasuke standing there with a few other trainers. At first, Sakura thought she was seeing things. But sure enough, after pinching herself to make sure, Sakura had indeed spotted the infamous Uchiha Sasuke watching a contest battle closely.

Sakura approached him with Skitty in her arms. "I didn't know you were interested in contest," she said jokingly.

"What…?" Sasuke looked from the flat screen to Sakura. Shaking his head, he replied, "No-you've got it all wrong. Karin told me stop when I done training my team."

Sasuke pulled a slip of pink of paper and Sakura looked at it. This was defiantly Karin's hand writing. The "I"s throughout the letter were dotted with hearts and the note was printed in purple ink.

_Oh that's right…Sasuke and Karin are going out, _Sakura thought to herself.

But in reality, Karin just proclaimed herself as Sasuke's new girl friend after being saved from a wild Scyther.

"Karin's getting ready to perform," Sasuke stuffed the letter back into pocket. After that, he headed into the direction of auditorium.

However, before he was too far away Sasuke stopped and said, "Oh, and I saw your battle earlier. That was clever move combining Hidden Power and Fire Spin."

Sakura watched as Sasuke walked off, she wondered to herself. _Was that a compliment, or his way of flirting with me? _

Sasuke was always known for receiving compliments, never giving them. Rather thinking about it, Sakura went to meet up with Blaze and discuss their strategy for the next battle. After all, the two of them could going up against the Yakanama sisters or TenTen and Choji in the next round. Along the way, Sakura thought about going competing in the Grand Festival later own.

_Maybe we can do this…my team and I, s_he figured, a smile never leaving her face.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Well, there's another chapter. In the next chapter, we'll catch up with others for their battles, as well as some of the OCs some of you requested for me to add in the story. Since the characters from the Naruto movies were hardly ever mentioned in fanfiction, I decided do something different and add Shion to this chapter.

The song that Ino and Shiho song was from Ape Escape 3 originally sung by Ukki Pink. Ever since I played through the level, her song has been stuck in my head ever since, and thus giving me the idea to give Ino and her sister a role as tween pop stars. As for poll, it seems that Kiba's Eevee will become Jolteon a little later within the story.

Thanks for reading and reviewing everyone.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: The Preliminary Rounds Begin; Naruto versus Sora, The Trainer Of The Flames!

The locker rooms—they are a place for meeting, preparation, and strategizing before heading out into battle. One trainer in particular, Namikaze Naruto chose to train his team outside in the fresh air rather than the stadium's stuffy locker room.

"Alright guys," Naruto announced. "It looks like we're finally ready."

Today, Naruto wore a completely different outfit instead of his usual. He wore a short sleeved, unbuttoned, and white baseball jersey with orange sleeves, and the number "24" on the back in bright orange numbers, underneath it wore a grey tank top, a pair of black jeans, his orange sneakers, and a pair of goggles hung around his neck. In less than twenty minutes, the coliseum would be prepared for the Battle Revolution. As Naruto spoke, Zorua, Gengar, Pansage, and Tepig listened closely to what their trainer had to say.

"But, I can't help feel I'm forgetting something…" Naruto said aloud as he crossed his arms.

In about a second or two, it had hit him. From there, Naruto reached into his backpack and pulled out some of the items he had purchased in Apotos. To each of his partner's necks, Naruto gave them each a special item. Tepig's necklace smelled of cinnamon and foreign spices. With this, Tepig's Flame Charge would be given a slight boost in battle. Pansage received a necklace that gave off the pleasant aroma of pine needles and fresh sage and in exchange for the EXP. Share Zorua was given a magical bell. Much like items Pansage and Tepig were given, Zorua's Shell Bell had a special purpose.

"And but not least, Gengar." Naruto held one last item in his hand called the Lax Incense.

It smelled of vanilla and oranges, and would boost Gengar's immunity to attacks. By the time Naruto went to hand Gengar his new battle item, he spotted Gengar sitting on the branch of a Nanab Berry tree gorging his self with the sweet fruit.

"Okay Gengar, that's enough playing around." Naruto called to the shadow creature as he and the other Pokémon approached the tree. "Get down here so I can give you your battle item."

Gengar simply waved the blond trainer off, eating more of the fruit from the tree. Naruto just smirked and reached into his pocket. There, he held up the one and only thing Gengar hated besides being commanded: The Sooth Bell. It was a gift from Okibi, and just the mere sound of the bell drove Gengar insane. Whenever he would hear its soothing chimes, Gengar would hold his finger inside of his ears, or disappear inside of his Pokéball in an attempt to avoid it.

"So what's it going to be, Gengar?" Naruto, still smirking held up the bell while Zorua, Tepig, and Pansage snickered quietly at Gengar for being so scared of such a silly thing.

Gengar glared at Naruto with his red eyes. However, as soon as he remember he was holding some fruit in arms, Gengar stood up readied himself to throw some of it at Naruto and the others. Gengar hurled nearly all of the fruit in his arms, expecting them to pummel Naruto and the other Pokémon, but before the fruit could reach them, a long vine appeared suddenly and grabbed the fruit. Gengar watched as the extended vine was pulled back towards the culprit, which was a frog-like creature known as Venusaur.

Gengar followed in pursuit of Venusaur within the shadows of trees. Eventually, this had led him to a different part of the campus: the Suicune Dormitory. When Gengar arrived, he confronted Venusaur, by calling him out, and challenging the oversize frog creature to a battle. A group of Bulbasaur and Ivysaur, which were the followers of Venusaur, suddenly appeared and surrounded Gengar and were ready to attack when Venusaur gave his word. Knowing that his servants could take care of his enemy, Venusaur didn't take Gengar too seriously at first, and just simply scoffed at him. Enraged, that his opponent insisted on making a mockery of his power, Gengar used his Fire Punch attack on one the nearby trees. Gengar's fiery fist went right through the thick trunk of the tree, causing it burn and collapse in the same instant.

Somehow, Gengar knew this had gotten Venusaur's attention. The wild and much smaller Bulbasaur and Ivysaurmoved aside so that their king could confront Gengar on his own. Venusaur stated firmly that his name was King Odin, and he should be addressed as such. But Gengar could care less. He just wanted to get to the battling portion already. Odin had then said the winner of the battle would receive a special prize—to become the new leader if his tribe. Gengar thought for moment of what it would be like to have a group of minions to do whatever he said whenever he to. After that, Gengar nodded and accepted the challenge. While Gengar prepared himself for a barrage of Fire Punches, the inside of the flower on Odin's back started to glow white as energy from the sun was gathered into it.

"Gengar!"

Before either of the attacks could be fired, Naruto and suddenly appeared to resolve the conflict between them. Naruto held out the Sooth Bell so that Gengar could see it.

"Last chance Gengar," Naruto said, the bell dangling between his fingers.

Gengar just snorted and returned to Naruto's side with his arms crossed, while Odin called off his servants, but ordered them all kept a close eye of Gengar from a distance.

"Venusaur!"

Sprinting towards Naruto and his team was none other than Thorn Rose, and another Suicune student named Ryuga Hades. Thorn was wearing a long sleeved navy blue shirt, a pair of black trousers, and matching trainers. His friend, Ryuga on the other hand, features include azure blue hair in a wild fashion, and stops at his shoulders, penetrating ruby colored eyes, and he has lightly tanned skin. His outfit consisted of black high tops that had a purple underside, as well as the laces, a pair of black jeans wears a silver shirt with long sleeves and a short sleeved black leather jacket over it.

Thorn ran up to Odin, holding a large purple Pokéball with red jewels on top known as the Master Ball.

"Oh, so this Venusaur belongs to you?" Naruto questioned.

Thorn just sighed and crossed his arms. "Yes, but he doesn't listen to anything I say..."

"Saur!" Upon hearing this, Odin pounded the ground with his enormous feet, creating a mini earthquake.

"And, he also likes to be addressed as King Odin." Thorn added. "Otherwise, he'll completely ignore all commands."

"You don't say," Naruto glanced at Odin, taking in all of his features.

Venusaur is a Pokémon considerably larger and heavier version of its pre-evolutions Bulbasaur and Ivysaur. It has a large bud on its back which has bloomed into a large red flower with six expansive, white-spotted petals, supported on a brown trunk somewhat like that of a palm tree. Venusaur also appeared to have frog-like warts.

"Uh, Thorn, I think you're forgetting something." Ryuga said with a mischievous grin on his face.

Thorn frowned. He knew where Ryuga was getting at. "Oh come on everyone in our battling class and at the Suicune dorm already knows...isn't that enough?"

"With news like this, you just can't help but tell everyone." Ryuga chuckled.

Naruto just looked between the two of them hoping for some sort of answer. "Know what...?" he asked.

Ryuga continued to chuckle and patted Thorn's shoulder. "Our friend Thorn here is expecting his first grandchild."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Huh...?"

"It's not what you think," Thorn pulled a Pokéball from his belt, and tossed it into the air.

From the inside appeared Thorn's Serperior. Since the last time he saw her, Serperior looked pretty much the same to Naruto. She was a large and beautiful grass snake with a pair of piercing yellow eyes. However, her stomach appeared to poke out more than usual.

"Serperior is expecting a baby soon," Thorn explained, stroking her head. "And the father is non-other than King Odin himself."

_Oh, so that's why he took those berries from Gengar..._ Naruto thought as he watched Thor hand the berries to Serperior using his vines.

Naruto placed his hand on her warm stomach, ignoring the stares he was receiving from the group of Bulbasaur and Ivysaur.

"Just wait Zorua," The small black and red kitsune glanced up at Naruto as he spoke. "There will be another baby for you and Axew to play around with soon."

Curiously, Naruto's team, with the exception of Gengar, imitated him. Zorua was the lucky one who felt the baby slightly kick her paw. After experiencing that, Zorua couldn't help but smile. Soon, she'd have another playmate who just as small as her to play with.

"Congratulations," Naruto said to Thorn, with a smile. And then he asked, "But why didn't anyone to know about it?"

"Serperior is one my best partners," Thorn replied. "I really wanted to show her off since the members of the Sinnoh and Unova League are here for the tournament. But she's in no condition to battle."

"Whoa..." Naruto imagined himself battling against the Elite Four.

There were the experts from Sinnoh, the flying type specialist Deidara from Violet City of Johto, the master of ghost types Sasori who trained his team at Mt. Pyre, the expert of fire types Hidan, and Itachi the master of dark types, and from Unova, the members of the Elite Four included Kisame, expert of water Pokémon, Konan, a former coordinator now a master of poison types, Kakuzu who specialized in rock types, and Madara his brother Tobi, who trained as a duo with dragons. The current champion of Sinnoh was Pein and team of steel types, and of Unova, Namikaze Minato and his team of different types.

"Yeah, this happens every so often. The Elite Four come to our school to evaluate the students of Suicune rank," Ryuga explained. "And as luck would have it, their waiting at the stadium as we speak waiting for "grandpa" here, or any other brave student to battle."

"Don't remind me…" Thorn mumbled, as Ryuga patted his shoulder again.

"**Will all tournament participants please report to the stadium."** The mechanical voice of an announcer eventually emanated from the speakers of the stadium's enormous television screen.

The three boys took this as a sign, and headed for the stadium. Along the way, Naruto met up with Chris and Kiba. As the three of them walked towards the waiting area, they chatted out their upcoming battles.

"So here's how it goes; the battling field will change to a different environment, giving a certain type of Pokémon the advantage throughout the round." Chris explained, his hatchling Axew on his shoulder. "I hear ground types have the advantage this round, but the battling field it changes once a pair of new trainers enter."

"Hmm…I wonder how a rain forest battling field would look…?" Kiba wondered.

"Uh guys, could you hang on a minute?" Chris and Kiba turned around to see Naruto's blushing face. "There's something I need to do."

The two of them looked at each, and then gave Naruto an approving nod. Taking a deep breath, Naruto screwed up his courage and knocked on the waiting room door, where he knew Tenshi and her opponent were awaiting the call onto the stage.

"Come in," The soft, familiar voice of Tenshi called to him.

Taking in another gush of air, Naruto began to fumble with the doorknob, and at the same time, he was praying to Arceus that he wasn't making a big mistake.

He entered the room with a feeling of dancing butterflies in the pit of his stomach. There he took in the two competitors. Sitting close to the door was Tenshi and her Shieldon. She smiled warmly at Naruto, making him blush as a result. Seated close by was another girl from the Raikou dormitory. Naruto quickly recognized her as Tayuya from her untamed red hair, and the bandana she wore. She was talking to someone on her cell phone instead ignoring everyone else.

"Um, hi Tenshi," Naruto mumbled, walking awkwardly towards her. "Uh... this is for you."

His face reddened even more as he handed over the daffodil he held. Tenshi looked surprised, but it was Hinata who was touched by the gift. And, was that a faint blush on her cheeks?

"I found it, and thought it would make a great good-luck gesture for you," Naruto explained.

"Thank you," Tenshi said, accepting the daffodil and smiling at him. "As soon as my battle is over, I'll get this back to my dorm for safe keeping. It'll look great next to the white rose Frost gave me earlier."

Naruto felt his heart sank after hearing that, but chalked up the nerve to speak.

"Oh, okay…" he said, with a small smile.

The two of them looked at each other fondly for what seemed like an eternity, but as Kiba spotted the two of them, it was Kiba who broke the silence by making gagging noises behind them. The two of them turned to see him pretending to vomit.

"Yeesh...you two remind me of my sister and her boyfriend." he said with a smirk, and grinned as he noticed their increased blushing, relishing their discomfort.

Kiba wasn't nasty person at heart, but he couldn't resist the urge to tease his childhood friend. However, Naruto felt somewhat relieved to see his friend.

"We'll be waiting in the stands, okay?" Naruto said, and Tenshi nodded.

After waving goodbye to her the boys returned to lobby, leaving Tenshi collect her thoughts. She glanced at her green haired opponent who was talking on the phone. She was feeling uncommonly annoyed towards Kiba; he had interrupted them when Naruto looked set to expose the feelings she hoped he held for her all along. Maybe in the after the first round of the tournament, after winning of course, she and Naruto could continue their conversation, and maybe, just maybe she could tell him who Tenshi really was. Happy with this thought, she began to rigorously go over her tactics for the upcoming battle, feeling a strange compulsion to see the Raikou student she faced go down without a fight.

"Will Hana Tenshi and Tayuya please enter the battle-field. The match is about to begin," Tenshi and Tayuya rose to their feet after hearing the announcer's voice.

"Good luck," Tenshi said to Tayuya, who simply scoffed saying that she didn't need luck.

The girls entered the stadium under a hail of cheers from the audience, and took their positions.

"So, what happened back there?" Kiba asked as he and Naruto joined back with Chris and Axew.

Naruto didn't answer at first. Conversely, when he spotted Frost, the two of them just stared hardly at each other before going about with their morning.

"Let's just say that the competition is little stiff this year," he replied, and Kiba stopped and just stared at his back.

After a few moments, Kiba just shrugged it off and followed his blond friend. "Whatever you say man…"

Within the next few minutes, it was Kiba's turn to battle.

"Next up, we have Battle Tycoon Inuzuka Okami's son, and a trainer who plans to follow in the footsteps of the ghost type master, Sasori. Ladies and gentlemen, let's give a warm welcome to Inuzuka Kiba, and Kankuro!" The crowd cheered as Ayame talked, obviously awaiting the second battle of the preliminary rounds.

Kiba and his opponent, Kankuro, made their way to their respective trainer's boxes, when they got there the referee started announcing the rules. Kankuro is a trainer who plans to follow in the footsteps of Sasori, a member of Elite Four who masters in ghost type. Kankuro had brown hair and his face painted. He wore a black and grey hooded shirt, a pair of black trousers, and matching trainers.

"This battle will be like any other. When all one trainer's Pokémon are unable to continue, the battle will be over and the winner will advance to the next round. Substitutions and item usage are allowed throughout the match." Asuma said.

"Like in the previous round, the screen above will randomly choose for you by spinning the wheel on the big board atop the stadium." he continued, and both Kiba and Kankuro nodded.

Right as Asuma had said that, the wheel started spinning with three red and green panels. When the wheel stopped, it landed on green signaling for Kiba to reveal his Pokémon first.

"Alright sweet!" Kiba said as he noticed his choice. "Let's go Eevee!" he yelled tossing a Pokéball high into the air.

"Vee!" From within a shining burst of light appeared the brown kitsune known as Eevee.

Eevee looked as eager as Kiba about the upcoming battle the two of them were about experience together.

"It's my turn now," Kankuro said, and the virtual spinner above began spinning wildly.

When it had stopped, the small marker landed on Yamask, making him Kankuro's first choice for the beginning round.

"Yamask…fight!" Kankuro chucked the Pokéball of one his most trusted partners into the air.

After the light from the ball died down, it revealed a tiny shadow creature with large red eyes, holding human-face mask.

"Yamask…" The creature replied, waving its tendril-like arms.

"Round one; Eevee vs. Yamask. Begin!" Called Asuma as he waved his flags, and then stood aside.

"Eevee lets kick things off with Bite!" Kiba pointed his finger at Yamask.

Eevee ran forth baring his sharp fangs at Yamask.

"Counter it with Protect, Yamask!" Kankuro yelled almost immediately.

Just as Eevee was about to chomp his fangs down on him, Yamask's eyes began to glow, and a blue force field surrounded his body, protecting it from the attack.

"Now attack with Psychic!" Kankuro commanded.

Once again, Yamask's eye began to glow. From there, Eevee's small frame was easily lifted from the ground, and sent flying through one of the ancient pillars of the battling field by an unseen force. Kiba glared at Kankuro briefly, but was more concerned out Eevee's well-being.

"Eevee!" he called out to his partner.

After the cloud of dust cleared, Eevee shook off the pain from the attack. Seeing this, Kiba sighed in relief.

"Eevee, I think you should sit this round out for now." Kiba said, as he held out a Pokéball.

With a slight nod, Eevee returned to his ball for a short while. In his place, Kiba sent Akamaru into the battle. The pint sized hyena took his place onto the field across from Yamask, and waited for his first command.

"Go Akamaru! Use Howl!" Kiba shouted.

Akamaru pointed his towards the sky and howled a loud and eerie shriek. The people sitting in the stands covered their ears until Akamaru was finished.

"Now use Bite!" Kiba said.

From his side of the field, Kankuro just smirked and crossed his arms smugly as Akamaru got closer to Yamask, because the desert battling field had was just entering its moonlit phrase just before Akamaru tried pouncing onto Yamask. Akamaru suddenly stopped midway of his attack realizing that it was just too dark for him to see Yamask.

"Yamask!" Akamaru swerved his head around from the sound of his opponent's battle cry.

However, Yamask was nowhere to be seen. Hearing Yamask's battle cry once more, Akamaru followed the sound carefully, which eventually lead him into the small oasis area of field, and into one of Kankuro's traps.

"Now Yamask!" Kankuro shouted. "Activate Trick Room!"

Hearing this Yamask's eye began to glow and a large light blue rectangle with light blue transparent walls and ceiling appeared around the oasis area of the battle field. Afterwards, the light blue glow fades, and the walls and ceiling became invisible, but were still in activation.

"Attack with Energy Ball, Yamask!"

Phrase two of Kankuro's plan was to take Akamaru down while the effects of Trick Room were still in play. While inside of the barricade, Akamaru was much slower. Yamask on the other hand moved with incredible speed. Putting his hands together, Yamask created a green and glowing sphere of energy, which was launched at Akamaru in different angles. Inside of the closed area, Akamaru struggled to dodge the barrage of assaults. But with Yamask's sudden increase in speed, things were not easy.

_Stupid trees,_ Kiba thought angrily. _It's impossible to see through them..._

"Wait a minute...that's it!" he said aloud, and Kankuro just looked at him.

"Akamaru, burn all the trees down with Incinerate!" Kiba yelled.

Staring off with the smallest tree, Akamaru released a burning stream of fire from his mouth, which eventually began to spread throughout the entire closed area. Surprised by his opponent's actions, and of course trying to dodge the flames, Yamask inactivated Trick Room, and fled from the heat. Retreating towards the pyramid, Yamask chose to rest here for a short while until Kankuro gave him his next command. However, following in pursuit of the small mask wielding ghost was Akamaru. Upon hearing the eerie howl, Yamask swerved his ghostly frame around, unsure of where Akamaru might be. Before Yamask could return to Kankuro, Akamaru suddenly appeared behind him, and attacked with Incinerate. The burning flames caused an explosion, sending Yamask flying halfway across the field.

"Nice job, out there, Akamaru! They underestimated your strength and paid the price." Kiba cheered on his partner.

"I don't think any of us expected that!" Ayame cried. "Akamaru is a pint sized Poochyena who packs enormous power! Kiba is the winner of the first match, but we are all interested to see how Kankuro retaliates in the next round."

"Round two. Release your Pokémon in three... two... one..." Asuma said, and the flags swished through the air as each Trainer chose their second Pokémon.

"Let's go, Aipom!"

After appearing from his Pokéball, Aipom flipped onto the stage, and landed on his tail-a cheeky smile never leaving his face.

"Shuppet...fight!"

In a cloud of grey smoke appeared Kankuro's Shuppet. Shuppet appeared to be a gray cloth-covered ball with a point at the tip, with a pair of multi colored eyes.

"Kiba has chosen his Aipom to fight whilst Kankuro has chosen Shuppet! It'll be interesting to see how a normal and ghost type battle!" Ayame announced, while the two Pokémon faced off.

"Aipom, use Acrobatics!" Kiba commanded.

Aipom was a quick and nimble creature. Flipping through the air, Aipom tried pouncing onto Shuppet from above.

"Counter with Charge beam!" Kankuro shouted.

What was described as Shuppet's upright horn was pointed upwards, and became surrounded by a light blue orb of electricity that grew bigger in size as the attack charged. Then, Shuppet released the orb, and using his other powers, was able to cause the orb to float towards Aipom, explode and multiple bolts of light blue electricity fired at Aipom. Aipom was able dodge most of them, but the few that hit caused the purple primate to reel backwards.

"Now use Spite!" Kankuro said.

Appearing before Aipom, Shuppet's eyes began to glow light blue, and so did Aipom's entire body.

Kiba just laughed. "**That** was supposed to be a move?" he snickered. "It didn't even cause any damage to my Aipom!"

"No, but answer this; what's the one thing evil spirits are known for doing?" Kankuro questioned the brown haired boy.

"Uh, if you haven't heard, this a battle. Not a class room." Kiba replied, crossing his arms.

Kankuro on the other hand just smirked. "Curses," he said, calmly, and Kiba just looked at him.

"What...?"

"Now Shuppet!" Kankuro yelled. "Activate Curse!"

Once again, Shuppet's eyes began to glow with power. Beneath both him and Aipom appeared a red hex circle, which was portal allowing spirits from another world to come through. One spirit in particular attached itself to Aipom, and began draining his energy. Figuring he could shake the parasite, Aipom tried to use his tail to get rid of it. However, as soon as Aipom's tail reached the spirit, it vanished into thin air.

"We've got to end this quick..." Kiba said, noticing Shuppet breathing heavily. "Use Acrobatics again, Aipom!"

Before Aipom could attack, the parasitic spirit had made sure to drain more his energy. As a result, the attack had gone as Kiba had anticipated, and Aipom didn't have enough energy to attack.

Kankuro smirked. "Charge beam, Shuppet!"

"Use Rain Dance!" Kiba shouted at the same time.

While Shuppet prepared for another Charge beam attack, Aipom used what little energy he had to summon a rain storm to the battling field. The crowd didn't mind too much, though. The small rain shower felt nice after sitting in the summer heat. By then, Charge beam had hit home, and Aipom fainted as a result.

"Aipom is unable to battle. Shuppet is the winner." Asuma raised his green flag, and Aipom's picture faded off the big screen.

"Don't worry Aipom," Kiba said as his partner was returned to his Pokéball. "I didn't send you out there for nothing."

Kiba reached for another Pokéball, and tossed it high. "Blitzle, you're up!" he said.

In a sudden flash, Blitzle appeared on the stage. The small zebra knead and kicked up his front legs. Since Blitzle was fully healed, and Shuppet had cut his own HP to curse Aipom, Blitzle easily took out him with a single Flame Charge. Blitzle charged after the small puppet with a great speed, and knocked him backwards.

"Shuppet is no longer able to battle," Asuma raised his red flag this time. "The winner is Blitzle."

"It appears that Kankuro is down to his last Pokémon," Ayame said. "I wonder who his last choice shall be, and does it stand a chance against Blitzle's powerful Flame Charge?"

"Okay. Lampent...fight!" Kankuro tossed the Pokéball of his last partner, Lampent.

Lampent appeared to have a hat-like extremity with a point upon the top. His only facial features are two bright yellow eyes, and he has a blue flame in the middle of his glassy head, and has two long, wavy arms with no fingers.

"Go Lampent, use Embargo!" Kankuro commanded.

Waving around his extended arms, Lampent was able to create a circle of purple and black around Blitzle, which disappeared quickly.

"Was that another curse or what?" Kiba asked.

"You'll see..." Kankuro answered, and then went call out his next command. "Now use Flamethrower!"

Pointing his head at Blitzle, Lampent released a burning stream of fire.

"Dodge it Blitzle!" Kiba shouted. "And then use Charge!"

Doing as he was told, Blitzle dodged the attack, and then began to charge electrical power into his mane.

"Use Flamethrower again, Lampent!" Kankuro said.

"And Blitzle, you use Charge again!" Kiba yelled.

The Pokémon did as they were told, and repeated the same attacks. Lampent pointed the top of his head at Blitzle and released a burning stream of fire, and Blitzle dodged the attack and charged more electrical power into his mane. Kiba figured if he could stall for time until Blitzle's attack power was high enough, then the next attack was guaranteed to take Kankuro's Lampent out with one shot.

"Okay, then, let's try using Will-o-wisp!" Kankuro called.

Lampent placed his finger less hands together and a blue fireball appeared and fired at Blitzle.

"Blitzle, let's change up out tactics this time!" shouted Kiba. "Charge through Flamethrower with Flame Charge!"

"What the..." Kankuro was little surprised to see Lampent's most powerful attack avoided.

Blitzle ran straight through the stream of fire without being harmed by the flames. Before Kankuro had the chance to call out to Lampent, Blitzle was close enough, and able to tackle Lampent, forcing the dual type ghost back a few inches. Kiba smirked after that. He had Lampent right where he wanted him.

Pointing his finger to the sky, Kiba shouted, "Now's our chance! Blitzle, unleash Thunder at full power!"

Blitzle neighed, and kicked up his front legs as his mane glowed with intense power. Thunder and lightning could be heard coming from the sky, sending some of the fans of the crowd running for the nearest entry to the school. However, those who stayed for the remainder of the matched witnessed Lampent and Kankuro's defeat. With the help of Charge, and of course Aipom's Rain Dance, Blitzle was able to summon an enormous thunderbolt to strike Lampent with perfect accuracy winning the match for Kiba.

"Lampent is unable to battle," Asuma said. "Victory for the entire match goes to Kiba and Blitzle!"

"Oh yeah. That's our skill talking." Kiba's smirked just increased as he ready to return his partner to his ball.

Before Kiba could return him, Blitzle's entire body began to glow again as he were preparing to attack with Thunder once more.

"Uh...Blitzle," Kiba called out to him. "The battle is over, we've won."

Kiba failed to notice that his Blitzle was evolving. However, it was his Pokétch that gave him the heads up. The small red device beeped causing Kiba to look at it and the picture of were Blitzle once was had been replaced by a similar looking creature, a little taller and was called Zebstrika.

"Zebstrika," Kiba repeated, returning his newly evolved partner to his ball. "Nice."

After he left the battling field, Kiba joined back up with his friends.

"Great battling Kiba," Chris said. "Maybe all those late night study sessions paid off after all."

"I'll say. Blitzle evolved after our battle." Kiba replied, and Akamaru barked to show his happiness as well.

After a short intermission, the crowd returned to their seats, and Naruto and his partners headed to the locker room. Chris had to report to the Raikou battling field, so currently, Axew was being watched by Naruto, and served as a playmate for Zorua.

_Kiba's battle was pretty intense...I wonder what mine will be like?_ Thought Naruto as he and the Pokémon sat relaxing in the waiting room until they were called.

Since Zorua, Axew, and Gengar were resting, Naruto just decided to lay back and relax for himself in his comfy loafer chair. He'd rather just wait for his opponent to come to him instead of wasting his time looked for whoever it might be. It wasn't until about five minutes later the sound of footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway, and leading to the locker room.

Opening his eyes, Naruto spotted a young boy around his age with blue shoulder-length hair, unkempt on the right side, and brown eyes. He wore a navy blue kimono with a picture of the legendary phoenix Ho-oh on the back, black tabi, and straw sandals.

Figuring that his opponent wasn't ready, Naruto just shut his eyes and rested a little more. After a few minutes, since he didn't hear anything, Naruto slightly opened his eyes again only to find this boy just looking down at him without saying anything.

Trying not being rude, Naruto decided to strike up a conversation with him. "So, I guess you're my opponent for the first round?" he asked breaking the ice.

"If you plan on sleeping before our match, then this battle will be my easiest victory yet." The other trainer said, a smirk on his face.

"Huh? What makes you say that?" Naruto wondered. "I was only relaxing."

Naruto was sort of astonished. He hadn't known this boy for two minutes, and already he could tell this kid was too arrogant for his own good.

"I see what you're trying to do. You see, I can tell if someone is really concentrating or not, just to throw off their opponent. But, there is no way I'll fall for your little stunt." The trainer stated firmly.

Naruto just stared at him, dumbfounded and seemingly at a complete loss of words from his statement.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" The trainer questioned, "Also, you never even told me your name, so let's have it!"

**"Will Namikaze Naruto and Kamigishi Sora please report to the battle field," **The announcer said over the intercom.

The trainer now known as Sora smirked. "So your name is Namikaze Naruto...? Interesting..."

Naruto decided to put Sora in his place before he, Zorua, and Gengar entered the stadium.

"So you know my name—good—you'll be hearing it a lot more after my team and I beat the heck out of your Pokémon without even breaking a sweat."

Gengar looked at Naruto and smirked. He'd never seen this side of his trainer before, and strangely enough, he liked it

Sora stopped, and then glared at the blond trainer's back. _We'll see about that..._ he thought.

"For the third match, we have the son of Unova's Champion, Namikaze Naruto, and opposing him, we have Sora, a trainer from Cinnabar Island!" Ayame announced.

The field was illuminated by the bright stadium lights as two trainers made their way out of the tunnel and to their respective boxes. The crowd roared with excitement.

With both trainers ready to go in their boxes at each side of the field, Kakashi came out and made his way to the official's box that was just outside the middle of the field. Once there he began telling the two trainers the rules of the battle.

"This will be like any other standard battle, and there will be allowed substitutions throughout the match. When all one trainers Pokémon are unable to continue the battle will be over and the winner will advance to the next round." Kakashi stated since he was the referee for this round.

"Now we will spin both wheels to see what field the both of you will be competing on and who will select the first Pokémon," he continued. "But first, the field has to be changed."

The wheel that normally chose which Pokémon would be selected first landed on red witch meant that Sora would select the first Pokémon and the second wheel stopped on the grass insignia.

"Alright, Sora will select the first Pokémon but before that lets get to the field change." said Kakashi and on his mark, the entire battling field vanished, and then resurfaced a lust rain forest, complete with enormous and rare flowers only native to the rainy area, and enormous trees with vines suitable for swinging.

"Now Sora, select your first Pokémon." Kakashi turned to the blue haired boy.

"Alright," Sora pulled out Pokéball, and tossed it high from his trainer's box.

"Darumaka, battle stance!" he called, as a little red and circular creature materialized onto the field.

"Darumaka!" The fire creature said flinging his arms into the air.

_He doesn't look so tough..._ Naruto thought with a smile. "Okay, Zorua, come on out!"

Naruto released the baby kitsune onto the field, where she landed across from Darumaka.

"Alright if both sides are ready to start, then let the first between Darumaka and Zorua begin!" Kakashi said.

"Darumaka, start off with Sunny Day!" Sora shouted.

On Sora's command, Darumaka spat out a medium sized fire ball into the air. As a result, the battling field became sunnier, and Darumaka's fire type moves would have an extra boost.

"Now use Solarbeam!" Sora pointed his finger at Zorua.

"Counter it with Dark Pulse, Zorua!" Naruto called.

Darumaka held his hands into the air as his yellow and curly eye brows began to glow. Within the palm of his hands, a shining orb formed which Darumaka had then fired at Zorua. Zorua tried countering it with her Dark Pulse attack. Together, the two attacks created an explosion, but the Pokémon however, were unharmed.

Sora frowned. "Since that didn't work, try using Hidden Power, Darumaka!" he said.

Three glowing orbs of energy appeared in front of Darumaka, which were then released at Zorua.

"Counter with Shadow Ball, Zorua!" Naruto yelled.

Once again, the two attacks of Darumaka and Zorua canceled each other out, and were eventually matched. It was during this portion of the round that Naruto decided to have Zorua power up her moves.

"Now Zorua! Hone Claws!" he shouted. "And then follow it up with Dark Pulse!"

Zorua found the nearest tree to sharpen her claws, and increase her attack power slightly. From there, Zorua approached Darumaka, and attacked by releasing a stream of pure darkness at him.

"If Zorua can counter, then you can as well." Sora said. "Use Solarbeam!"

Yet again, there was collaboration of Dark Pulse and Solarbeam. However, due to Zorua's slight increase in power, she was able to overpower Darumaka's Solarbeam, and knock him back against one of the field's trees. Darumaka winced in pain, but was able to stand back up. As he stood up, water droplets from the leaves of the tree fell and landed onto his head cooling the flame inside of his body. As taught Asuma, Darumaka in this state are easy to catch, or in this case, easy to defeat.

"Let's finish with Dark Pulse, Zorua!" Naruto shouted.

Zorua released her most powerful attack once more. Unable to move, Darumaka took in the entire assault causing it faint on instantly.

"Darumaka is unable to battle," Asuma raised his red flag. "Sora, please chose your next Pokémon."

"Nice job, Zorua." From within his trainer's box, Naruto congratulated his hatchling.

Sora returned Darumaka to his ball, and then looked at Naruto holding the Pokéball of his next choice. "Don't count me and my team out just yet. We're still in this."

"Magmar, battle stance!" Sora chucked the Pokéball into the air, and a red and yellow reptilian creature appeared on the battling field.

"Magmar!" The Pokémon cried, spewing flames from his beak upon his arrival onto the field.

"Magmar verses Zorua, begin!" Asuma called.

"Zorua, use Shadow Ball!" Naruto shouted, pointing a finger at Magmar.

Sora just smirked confidently as he watched the purple and black orb float towards Magmar.

"Block it," he simply said.

Magmar raised one of his arms and blocked Zorua's attack. Zorua looked shocked at first, but followed up her first attack with a second Shadow Ball. Yet again, Magmar blocked the attack by raising one his arms. Annoyed, Zorua ran straight for Magmar preparing to tackle him with her small frame.

"Alright Magmar, attack with Toxic!" Sora yelled from his trainer's box.

Once Zorua was close enough, Magmar spat out a blob of sludge at Zorua, who dodged the attack by rolling out of the way. Deciding that one attack wasn't enough, Magmar released a barrage of Toxic at Zorua, and she dodged the attacks as best as she could. This particular pattern continued until Naruto recalled Zorua to her ball.

"Okay Zorua, time to get some rest," he said. And then, he reached for Gengar's ball, tossing it into the air. "Gengar, come on out!"

Since Toxic could not affect Gengar, Naruto figured that Gengar would be the perfect opponent for Magmar.

"It seems that Naruto has switched Zorua out for Gengar," Ayame announced. "I wonder how this will affect the battle?"

"Gengar verses Magmar, begin!" Asuma said waving his flags.

_Okay, so Giga Impact is strictly off limits during this round..._ Sora thought to himself. And then pointed at Gengar. "No matter...Magmar, use Fire Punch!" he shouted.

"Gengar, you use Fire Punch as well!" Naruto retaliated.

The two Pokémon ran towards each other with their fists covered in blazing fire. The two attacks canceled each other out. However, it was Gengar who got the upper hand by punching Magmar with his other fist in the face. Magmar rubbed his cheek and staggered backwards.

"How irritating..." Sora frowned as he watched Gengar snicker at Magmar.

Naruto on the other hand smirked. "Alright, let's use Double Team Gengar, and then follow it up with Sludge Bomb!"

Gengar vanished into thin air, and the reappeared behind Magmar with arms crossed. Magmar tried attacking with Fire Punch, but Gengar dodged the attack by disappearing, and then reappearing with a circle of clone. Gengar and his clones then proceeded to attack Magmar with Sludge Bomb, creating an explosion and eventually a layer of smoke the covered the battlefield. Through the smoke the trainers as well as the crowd could see Magmar being launched back to Sora's side of the field before hitting hard against one of the trees, and stopping him dead on. When the smoke cleared Gengar stood proudly on his end, and Magmar was lying down with swirls in his eyes and was definitely done for the day.

"Magmar is unable to battle, Sora please select your final Pokémon!" Called Asuma.

Sora recalled his fallen Magmar from his slumped form on the grassy battling field and said some words of praise for his good effort. As Sora pocketed Magmar's ball, he looked over and saw that Gengar still had energy to spare.

"You may have gotten my other two Pokémon, but can handle this?" Said Sora and Naruto looked at him questionably waiting his next choice.

"Charmeleon battle stance!" Sora called as what materialized scared some of the crowd with an enormous stream of blue and yellow flames.

The red dragon Pokémon roared as he took his stance across from Gengar.

"Gengar versus Charmeleon, begin!" Asuma said, with a wave of his flags.

"Gengar, let's start out with Double Team, and then use Sludge Bomb!" Naruto shouted, knowing he had the edge in the battle.

Gengar surrounded Sora's Charmeleon with a circle of clones.

"We're not falling for that again!" Sora growled. "Burn them all with Dragon Rage, Charmeleon!"

Charmeleon arched his head back, and a light blue orb of energy forms inside the middle of his stomach. Once there, Charmeleon opened his mouth and then fired an erratic light blue and black beam of energy from the orb at Gengar's illusions, as well as revealing the location of the real Gengar.

"Now use Fire Blast!" Sora called.

A pink orb suddenly appeared in front of Chameleon's mouth, and then a fiery blast in the shape of a kanji symbol was fired at Gengar. Gengar was able to dodge, however, his cheek was slightly singed while doing so. Gengar glared at Charmeleon, and was prepared to beat the crimson dragon senseless with Fire Punch until Naruto called out to him.

"Hold for a bit Gengar," he said, and Gengar peered at him from the corner of his eyes. "We'll figure out a way to get through this—trust me."

Gengar was motionless at first, but gave Naruto a slight nod to show that he understood him.

Naruto smiled. "Good, let's try using Fire Punch!"

"Not so fast!" Sora said in retaliation. "Scary Face, Charmeleon!"

Just as Gengar's fist was about to collide with Chameleon's snout, Charmeleon glared at the purple shadow creature with his intimidating face. Gengar wasn't scared, but the look threw him off just a bit and causing him to stop dead in his tracks.

"Now use Fire Blast!" Sora shouted.

Charmeleon opened his mouth and releases a blue fireball at Gengar.

"Now Gengar, use Sludge Bomb!" Naruto called, knowing that this risky move might cost him the entire round.

The two Pokémon fired their assaults, which as a result caused an explosion, and thin a thick cloud of smoke. Once the smoke cleared both Gengar and Charmeleon could be seen on their knees, breathing heavily. Although the attacks didn't make direct contact, Gengar had been burned, and Charmeleon had been poisoned. Gengar held his right arm where the Fire Blast assault had scorched him, and Charmeleon's scales were on the verge of turning into a rich purple color.

"Hang in there, Gengar!" Naruto tried encouraging his partner to keep fighting. _Great…now what am I going to do…?_ he thought desperately.

Up until this point, Chris' hatching Axew stayed quiet and watched from the sidelines on Naruto's shoulder. Seeing that Naruto was upset, Axew decided to matters into his own hands and help the blond trainer out. Without warning, Axew reached into Naruto's pocket and released Zorua. Axew explained the situation to Zorua, and together, the two hatchlings formulated a plan to help Gengar. Axew was the first to go—he reached his berry pouch which hung loosely on his side, and pulled out Rawst berry. From there, the small green dragon caught Gengar's attention.

"Axew!" he shouted waving his tiny arms, to Gengar.

Gengar turned his head slightly only to see a blue and green blob heading into his direction. Using his left arm, Gengar was able to catch the berry, and then bit into it and let the juices of the berry heal the mark. Once Axew was finished, Zorua tossed Gengar her Shell Bell. After shaking the bell, a small silver butterfly appeared in front of Gengar, and then burst into a shower of sparkles, which restored some of Gengar's additional health.

"Thanks Axew, Zorua," Naruto smiled at the two of them. "I owe you one."

Axew blushed and replied, "Axew…" as if to say "No problem."

Zorua smiled back and said, "Zorua," happily.

Looking back out to the battling field Naruto smirked and said, "Now Gengar, attack with Sludge Bomb!"

After making sure his wounds were healed, Gengar smirked smugly at Charmeleon, and then shot a stream of toxic sludge straight at him. Unable to move as quickly as before, Charmeleon took in the attack at full power, but remained on the field.

"We're not finished just yet!" Sora yelled from his trainer's box. "Charmeleon, use Dragon Rage at full power!"

"Intercept with Double Team!" Naruto called.

Using what little strength he had left, Charmeleon tried firing the beam of blue and black fire at Gengar, who dodged the attack, and then appeared behind Charmeleon.

"Now use Fire Punch!" Naruto shouted, knowing that he had this battle in bag.

Normally, Fire Punch would not have affected Charmeleon as much. However, since Sora had not healed Charmeleon since he'd been poisoned, Fire Punch was just enough to finish him off, naming Naruto and his team the winners of the match. Charmeleon fell to the battling field unconscious, and Asuma waited a few moments before officially making the announcement.

"Charmeleon is unable to battle," he said raising one of the colorful flags. "Victory goes to Namikaze Naruto and his team for the entire match!"

Sora just stood there for a second before looking down and accepting his lose before turning around and returning his most powerful partner to his ball. While doing so, he whispered words of praise for its extraordinary performance then pocked the red and white ball.

Sora then looked up to see Naruto and the hatchlings doing the same thing to his Gengar. After a few seconds, Sora had then decided to congratulate Naruto on the battle.

Once he got there, just looked up and grinned at him and said, "So, was my Gengar good enough for you?" the blond asked.

Sora crossed his arms. "If you ask me, I thought that he could have been a bit stronger… but, I thought that it was pretty good battle. Congrats." Replied Sora with a smirk on his face.

"You're from Cinnabar Island right?" Naruto asked, and Sora nodded. "Well if I'm ever in the area, then I'll let you get another crack at it."

"Then it's a deal." Sora replied, shaking Naruto's hand.

And with that, the two Entei students exited the field so that the next pair of trainers could enter. Speaking of Entei students…one particular trainer, or Uchiha Sasuke stood in front of the television screen in trainer's taking in each and every detail that he could about those who entered the tournament.

In his hand, Sasuke held a small tablet and a pen. This was for jotting down the names of the trainers and their partners who looked as if they would be a challenge. So far, Sasuke had the names of five trainers: There was Perma-Frost and his newly acquired Dusclops, a girl named Iris Rose and her Riolu, of course Namikaze Naruto and Gengar, Chris and his partner Golurk, and Nouta Ishihara and his Sableye. Sasuke had a star by Nouta's name seeing as his Kirlia was tough and could have taken down his opponent's entire team on his own. However, Nouta decided to let his other partners battle for experience and practice.

"**Yakushi Kabuto and Uchiha Sasuke. please report to the battling field." **

Sasuke looked up from his notes at the sound of the announcer's voice. As he walked towards the locker room he smirked to himself.

_To think that there is Entei student out there with such exceptional battling skills,_ Sasuke thought. _It makes me envious…_

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><p><strong>AN: **Sorry for a wait everyone. But you can best bet that during my down time, that I was planning this chapter out, even though I really wanted to get this one out last week. Anyway, in the next chapter, we'll get to see Tenshi, Lee, Thorn, as well as some of the other characters and OC characters in battle. We'll catch glimpse of what Orochimaru plans for the school in the next chapter.

Also, don't forget to check out my other crossover (Journey of the Cursed King). I'm planning on allowing everyone to send in your OCs there as well.

Thanks for reading and please review.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: **First of all, I would like to saythank you those who read, reviewed, or favorited/added my story to their alerts. I really appreciate it. For those of you who haven't reviewed yet, please click the button at the bottom of the page and type something up. I'd like to hear what people think of this story and if there are any improvements I could make to it. Thank you!

Also, the bios are at the end of this chapter, and I've updated the sign-up sheet at the end of chapter one. Check out whenever you get a chance, and please enjoy the new/bio chapter. ^^

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><p><span>Chapter Eleven: Friends, Rivals, and the Seven Sages.<span>

"Wish us luck, Serperior," Thorn said fondly, stroking the head of his beloved partner, who was being left in Nurse Shizune's care because of her 'condition'.

"It's because of you why we're here in the first place." he added, and Serperior smiled at him.

Thorn just seemed like another average trainer/academy student to him in a parade of hundreds he had met and battled in his life. Thorn is very tall, and had spiked green hair and yellow eyes. He wore a white dress-shirt with a short black blue vest over it, a pair of black trousers, and matching trainers.

Currently, Thorn's dream was to create a team of powerful grass type Pokémon, with Serperior as their leader. However, since she was in no condition to battle, Serperior was relaxing in at the academy's Pokémon Center, awaiting the arrival of her child or possibly, children.

From other side, the waiting room area stood his friend Ryuga. Ryuga paced the ceramic tile of the center looking very impatient. He pointed to his watch to remind Thorn that the two of them had an upcoming battle.

Thorn petted his most trusted partner again. "I'll be back to check on you after our match, okay?" he said.

To show that she understood, Serperior nodded her head, before curling up into a comfy position to take a nap. Thorn gave her one pat before joining up with Ryuga in the lobby.

"She'll be fine," Ryuga told him, reassuringly. "She has Shizune to watch her after all."

Thorn crossed his arms. "I know, but I just can't help but worry about her."

"The only thing you should be thinking about is our upcoming match," Ryuga said, as the two of them headed towards the stadium. "I'm sure Serperior would feel better knowing that we won our match."

Thorn smiled a little. This was exactly what he and his team trained for, and he wasn't about to give it all up here.

"Yeah," he answered back feeling slightly better. "Let's go."

Thorn and Ryuga were obviously heading towards the locker room to wait until they were called onto the field. Within the waiting room, however, were two girls, who would soon be battling the two. Their names were Matsuri and Sari, and the two of them were Uxie Yellow students from Black Academy.

"You'd better cheer me on, okay? Because you know I'll kill you if you don't," Sari teased her best friend Matsuri.

Sari had long chocolate colored hair, and matching eyes. She wore a unzipped and hooded grey jacket with short sleeved purple tie-dye shirt underneath it, a pair of black shorts, long black knee-length leggings, her Uxie pendant, and matching sneakers. Beside her was her partner Rhydon, and he was named Devastator.

"I'll try my best to," Matsuri responded. "Although, I think my team would have prefer to enter the contest battles instead."

Matsuri has short brown hair, dark eyes and fair skin. She wore a red tank top with a small blue skirt, knee-length white socks, her yellow Uxie pendant, and red and white trainers. Beside her was the hearing Pokémon called Audino. However, to her trainer, she is known as Mira.

"Meh, contests are for dweebs anyway," Sari said, stroking Devastator's nose, as Matsuri pretended to bristle. "And besides; I hear Garaa would prefer a girl who can battle, anyway."

"Well, if that's your attitude, maybe I should just cheer for your opponent instead. Yep, I think I'll do that," Matsuri said, with her arms crossed, and she stalked out; however, her words and stance were undermined by a mischievous grin and a final wink before she and Mira left.

"Matsuri can be so weird sometimes, right Devastator?" Sari said, rubbing her partner's head, and he nodded contentedly, knowing that the bond between the girls was something special despite their pretend insults and rivalry.

While Sari seemed to be lost in a world of her own while petting her partner Rhydon, Matsuri and Mira suddenly burst through the door. Sari looked up with a questionable expression on her face, and Matsuri said, "They're coming...!"

"Who's coming?" Sari asked, wanting more of an answer.

"Our opponents," Matsuri replied. "And the two of them look pretty strong. I mean they're Suicune after all!"

Sari smirked, and so did Devastator.

"You don't say?" she said, still smiling. "Maybe this is our chance, Matsuri. You know, to show what we're really made of to everyone?"

**"Will both teams for the next participating Suicune division please enter the battle-field. The match is about to begin," **The voice overhead echoed through the locker room.

Both girls fell silent, and Devastator sharpened his claws as he prepared to fight, growling with anticipation.

Sari peered over at Matsuri. "Well, we better head to the stadium," she said, and Matsuri simply nodded and followed her.

The crowd cheered as the two made their way out to the battlefield obviously awaiting the next battle. Thorn and Ryuga made their way to the respective trainer's boxes, and so did their opponents, Matsuri and Sari. Once there, the Fencing/Pokémon Ranger instructor, Professor Stark started announcing the rules.

"This battle will be a standard double battle, when of one team's Pokémon are unable to continue the battle will be over and the winner will advance to the next round. There will be one substitution allowed for each trainer throughout the match." Stark said. "Does everyone follow?"

Everyone nodded in unison.

"But first," Stark motioned for the battling field. "The field must change."

The spinner overhead began to spin wildly. Eventually, it landed on the fire insignia. The previous battling field was replaced with a new one that resembled a volcanic area.

The four trainers were ready to battle, when Stark spoke once again. "Now trainers, to select the first Pokémon will be randomly chosen by the spinning wheel on the big board atop the stadium." he motioned for the spinner.

Right as Stark had said that, the wheel started spinning with three red and green panels. When the wheel stopped it landed on green signaling for Thorn and Ryuga to reveal their partners first.

Ryuga smiled. "Okay, here goes," he said, reaching for a Pokéball. "Volcano, you're up!"

Thorn tossed a ball of his own at the same time. "Sawsbuck, I need your assistance!"

From within their Pokéball appeared Volcano the Typhlosion, and a deer-like Pokémon known as Sawsbuck ready to battle. On the opposing side of the field, Matsuri and Sari released their partners, Audino and Gloom.

"Mira, go!" Matsuri released the ball in her hand, and within a second or two, appeared her Audino, Mira.

Sari was the last to toss her Pokéball. Before doing so, she pointed to Ryuga.

"My partners and I will do our best to give you a match you'll never forget, kiddo," she said, tossing a Pokéball. From the inside, appeared a Pokémon known as Gloom.

Ryuga's eyes narrowed, and he snarled angrily; _kiddo...?_ he thought.

He'd show Sari who the kid was! I mean for Arceus' sake: he was at least four years older than her. This called for some patented Ryuga Revenge.

"Battling for us today for a place in second round of our Suicune are Thorn Rose and Ryuga Hades, two up-and-coming trainers hoping to show our special guests how skilled they really are!" Ayame announced. "Opposing them, we have two girls both from Oreburgh City, attend Black Academy together as Uxie students, but have been entered in Suicune division to test their Double Battling skills. Let's give it up for Toriyama Matsuri, and Kazami Sari!"

"Begin!" Stark lowered his flags, giving the trainers the signal to start shouting out commands.

Before shouting out a command, Thorn examined the opposing team. From a short distance, Matsuri looked quite sweet and innocent, and Thorn wondered whether she actually had the proper temperament for battles. Maybe he'd better hold back; he didn't want to make a little girl cry, after all.

Unlike Thorn, Ryuga didn't waste any time examining the others. He knew Volcano had the advantage, so he wasn't going to just sit around and let his partner's power go to waste.

"Go Volcano!" he shouted. "Attack with Eruption!"

Igniting his burning collar, Volcano released a geyser of smoke and fire at Sari's Gloom.

"Counter it with Light Screen!" Matsuri retaliated.

Before the attack could make contact, Audino ran in front of Gloom, and protected the two of them with a rainbow colored barrier.

"I'll get rid of that barrier," Thorn said. "Sawsbuck, attack with Wild Charge!"

On Thorn's command, Sawsbuck ran at their opponents, his body surrounded by yellow electricity. While covered in electricity, Sawsbuck's body was colored gold and white. Sawsbuck crashed into the barrier, antlers first, destroying it.

"Now, use Jump Kick!" Thorn called, and Sawsbuck had then turned around and kicked Audino upwards with his back legs.

"Hurry, and use Slash, Volcano!" Ryuga pointed his finger at the airborne Audino.

Volcano ran across the rugged field, and then jumped straight into the air. Here, the volcano Pokémon slashed Audino with his sharp claws, before returning to his rightful side of the field. Matsuri gasped at the sight of Mira plummeting to the earth. Even though she wasn't completely finished, Mira rose from the ground breathing quite heavily.

"Hurry, Mira!" Matsuri called out. "Use Healing Pulse on yourself!"

Wiggling her curly ears, Mira placed her hands together as if she were praying. Chanting a magic spell, Mira was able to heal most, but not all of her wounds. However, this was just enough for her to continue battling for a short while.

"Volcano, let's finish this!" Ryuga shouted. "Use Slash once more!"

Charging for Mira one last time, Volcano swiped his sharp claws at the bunny-like creature, and causing her faint from the impact of the attack. Ryuga just smirked as Matsuri pouted, returning her Audino, to her ball. However, it was Matsuri's next choice that caused him to smirk even more.

"Sugar, it's your turn now!" she called, tossing a ball into the air. From the inside appeared a small yellow mouse creature called Pichu, who mirrored her trainer's sweetness in every detail.

"A Pichu? Aw man... what sort of tournament is this, anyway? Thorn I think we entered the wrong division by mistake or something." Ryuga chuckled, crossing his arms.

Sari pointed her finger accusingly at Thorn. "You'll pay for what you did to Mira!" she said. "Gloom, show them your Acid!"

Gloom pointed her plant-like head at Volcano, and released a vile purple liquid at him. To avoid the attack, Volcano simply stepped to the side. From here, Volcano countered with Slash, causing Gloom to stagger backwards.

"Let's help them out!" Matsuri called. "Go, Sugar!"

"Pichu!" The small yellow creature approached Sawsbuck without any fear, and tried tackled him.

"OK, Sawsbuck, use Jump Kick! But not too hard," Thorn said, and Sawsbuck charged towards Matsuri's Pichu, hoping to tap the electric mouse and avoid hurting him too much.

"Get ready, Sugar..." Matsuri grinned, seeing her opponent's guard lowered. "Now! Dodge it and use Zap Canon!"

Sugar easily slipped away from Sawsbuck's lackluster Jump Kick, and before the deer-like Pokémon could express any surprise, he was being battered through the air by a fierce Zap Canon straight to his face.

"What...? I'm sorry, Sawsbuck. I guess I let appearances deceive me," Thorn said, taken completely by surprise, and Sawsbuck shook off any damage he'd received. "Let's not hold anything back, then. Start off with Wild Charge!"

"Not so fast!" Matsuri shouted as Sawsbuck ran towards Pichu. "Sugar, counter with Shockwave!"

Pichu took a moment to store up energy, and then unleashed an unerring arrow-like bolt of lightning that sped straight for Sawsbuck.

"Since it's too late to, keep going!" Thorn called, and Sawsbuck kept charging, even though he suffered the attack head-on.

However, as the electricity crackled around him, he manipulated the energy and directed it to the shield around him.

"Don't worry, Sugar. Stand strong and use Zap Canon once more!" Matsuri told him, and Pichu screwed up his face, amassing all the energy he could before directing it straight towards Sawsbuck in a throbbing, giant cyclone of electricity just as fast, and twice as powerful as the last.

"Evasive maneuvers, Sawsbuck!" Thorn countered, and Sawsbuck continued towards his foe, dashing from side to side as Sugar struggled to keep up the voltage and the ground crackled with misdirected lightning.

"Hurry, Sugar! Hit him with Iron Tail!" Matsuri commanded, seeing that Sawsbuck was too agile to hit with something as unwieldy as Zap Canon, and Sugar's tail glowed as he stoically met Sawsbuck's charge.

Sugar had then leapt forward and swung his whole body around, building up as much momentum as he could, whilst Sawsbuck tried to as close to Sugar as he could. With a brief flash of light, the two Pokémon clashed, and when the glare subsided, Sawsbuck was seen tackling Sugar as hard as he could.

"Concentrate, Sugar!" Matsuri said quickly as her Pichu shuddered under the powerful electrical attack.

Sugar closed his eyes and did his best to redirect the energy flooding into him until Sawsbuck snorted and leapt backwards, shaking his head from side to side and tingling slightly.

"And it appears that Sawsbuck has suffered Pichu's famous Static ability, and seems to be paralyzed!" Ayame cried.

"Keep going, Sawsbuck! We can do this," Thorn encouraged his partner, and Sawsbuck straightened up, trying to ignore his twitching muscles as they threatened to seize up at any time.

"If you're ready, try hitting Pichu with Energy Ball!" Thorn added.

"Dodge it!" Matsuri commanded, and Sugar was soon on the defensive, leaping around as Sawsbuck's Energy Ball came too close for comfort.

By staying in one place and using long-range attacks, Sawsbuck was avoiding the effects of his Paralysis; something that drastically needed to change.

"Use Zap Cannon!" Matsuri ordered, and Sugar jumped upwards, aiming a throbbing cyclone of electricity at his foe whilst simultaneously evading another Energy Ball assault.

Just as Matsuri had thought, it was off-course; Zap Cannon was hard to aim at the best of times, but when dodging it was practically impossible to land a hit, even on a stationary opponent. However, she had planned on it missing; with a loud crackle, it slammed into the ground at Sawsbuck's feet and threw up a cloud of dust that concealed the deer-like beast from view, providing a temporary smokescreen so Sugar could get back onto the attack.

Thorn frowned. "Hurry and use Jump Kick!" he retaliated.

Sugar squealed as Sawsbuck battered him backwards, but Matsuri was instantly there with a counter-command.

"Sugar, Sweet Kiss!" she called.

As Sugar landed safely, he mimed blowing Sawsbuck a kiss, and a translucent pink heart drifted from his lips, moving slowly towards his target.

"Hurry Sawsbuck and dodge it!" Thorn said immediately, but Sawsbuck was hunched over, growling, as he found himself unable to move a muscle.

"Hit him with Energy Ball, then," he improvised, and orb of nature power lanced onto the floating heart; to Thorn's dismay, on impact the heart exploded into dozens of smaller hearts, which rained down on Sawsbuck in a pink shower that sent his mind reeling with confusion.

"Uh oh... Sawsbuck, concentrate! Pichu's just a little to the left, right in front of you! Use Wild Charge!" he said.

Sawsbuck dashed forwards, but he was completely off-target, and soon he got tangled up in his own legs and met the ground face-first as he tripped.

"Now's our chance! Sugar, Iron Tail!" Matsuri said, smiling sweetly at her humbled opponent, and Sawsbuck was blasted back to his trainer's feet as Sugar struck him as hard as he could.

Sawsbuck trembled on the ground, but managed to slowly push himself back up, obviously weakened but determined not to go down so easily.

"Sawsbuck, don't overexert yourself..." Thorn said, seeing her partner was close to fainting, but Sawsbuck snorted and stood his ground. "Okay then, use Aromatherapy!"

Standing completely still, and wiggling his small ears, a sweet smelling aroma surrounded Sawsbuck. This of course cured the Sawsbuck of his status problems. Matsuri pouted again. She was counting on Sugar's static to help her win the battle. However, it was too late to relay on abilities now. As of the moment, Sugar was breathing heavily, and may not last much longer.

"Sugar, I know you have it in you, so use one last Zap Canon at full power!" Matsuri said straight away, and Sugar mustered all of his energy into an enormous cyclone of electricity, which was fired at Sawsbuck.

"Go Sawsbuck!" Thorn shouted. "Charge through it with Wild Charge and then follow it up with Jump Kick!"

Doing as he was told, Sawsbuck was once again, sent charging through Sugar's electrical attack. Once he had gotten close enough, and turning his body so that his back-end was facing Sugar, Sawsbuck kicked the small electric mouse with all his might. Sugar himself was sent flying through the air, and then landed below Matsuri's trainer box. Sugar tried standing up after a short while, but ended up falling back down from the lack of energy.

"Pichu is unable to battle! Sawsbuck is the winner!" Stark announced, raising the green flag as Pichu's picture went black.

"Oh, well...we tried out best," Matsuri returned Sugar to his Pokéball.

Sari watched as the trainer's box of Matsuri was lowered. Since Matsuri had used both her Pokémon, it was up to Sari to continue fighting for a tie breaker, or if she got lucky, a win for their team.

"Looks like it's all up to us now..." Sari reached for another Pokéball, which contained her Rhydon, Devastator, and looked at it.

"Okay Sawsbuck, take a break." Thorn recalled his tired partner to his ball for a rest.

After that, Thorn's trainer's box was lowered, so that he could watch Ryuga from the sidelines. Back on the battling field, Volcano continued to lazily dodge Gloom's Acid attack. That is, until Devastator arrived on the field. After defeating Gloom with Aerial Ace, and deciding that he may be a worthy opponent, Volcano approached the drill Pokémon, giving him battle cry. In contrast, Devastator also gave a battle cry and held up his sharpened claws.

"From what I've learn, I know that Devastator and I are in pretty good shape," Sari said. "So, you and your partner better watch out!"

Ryuga smirked. "You know, I was going to say the same thing." he said.

"This is going to be a walk in the park. Volcano, take a break," Ryuga returned his Typhlosion to his ball, before reaching a different one on his belt. Tossing it high into the air, he called out the creature that was inside, "Poseidon, you're up!"

Ryuga knew that Volcano wanted to battle, but he'd rather play things safe by having the type advantage.

"For the final battle, Ryuga has switched out his Typhlosion for an even stronger looking Samurott to battle against Sari's fierce Rhydon!" Ayame said. "It's clear who has the type advantage, but things always turn to be different!"

"Poseidon, start off with Hydro Pump!" Ryuga commanded.

A swirling twister of water roiled from Samurott's mouth, thundering towards the defiant Rhydon as the otter-Pokémon stood back and admired his handiwork.

"Devastator, we'll need to use our heads here! Use Fire Blast to counter it!" Sari said; she was worried, but she tried not to show it.

After all, hadn't Ayame said a type disadvantage had already been overcome? If that trainer could do it, so could she. Devastator unleashed his own tornado, but it was composed of raging magma rather than churning liquid. The two twisters collided on the center of the battle-field, creating huge clouds of steam and a violent hissing noise. However, Sari didn't entertain hopes of Fire Blast winning, so she cried,

"Devastator, Chip Away! Quickly!" Devastator took advantage of the steam, skirting the battling forces of nature and swinging his glowing tail across Samurott's face before retreating again as his Fire Blast exploded, taking the Hydro Pump with it.

"He's quick, but he can't run forever. Poseidon, Ice Beam!" Ryuga commanded, and turquoise-colored beam erupted from Samurott's snout, and was fired at Devastator.

"Hurry and use Fire Blast, again!" Sari said, and soon Samurott's attack was being halted by Devastator's; however, to the surprise of both sides, the collision of fire reacted strangely, exploding in a ball of flames that tossed each Pokémon back with ease, searing them with fire.

"Again, Devastator!" Sari called. "Attack with Fire Blast!"

"Poseidon, are you alright?" Ryuga asked, and Samurott grunted, suffering Devastator's ineffective Fire Blast with little more than annoyance.

"Hit Rhydon with Dragon Tail!" Samurott ran towards his opponent, slashing him with his tail.

Since Sari's other Pokémon had already been defeated, Devastator just took on damage rather than being switched out.

"Devastator, Sandstorm!" Sari said worriedly, seeing that her Rhydon couldn't dodge, and the rhino-like Pokémon grunted as Samurott's tail struck him, causing him staggering backwards.

However, true to his fierce nature, he stepped forward as soon as the pain began to fade, sending a swirling vortex of sand at Poseidon, which he'd hope would turn this battle around.

"Counter it, with Hydro Pump!" Ryuga parried, and Sandstorm was destroyed completely by a thick water jet from Samurott's mouth, which Devastator luckily took the initiative to avoid without commands from his trainer.

However, Samurott kept up the attack, forcing Devastator to keep dodging whilst Sari tried to think up a plan.

"Devastator, get up close and use Chip Away!" Sari said, hoping to catch Samurott by surprise in the absence of any other ideas, Devastator obediently charged towards Samurott, powering up his tail and fearlessly side-stepping the continuous Hydro Pump.

"Don't let him psyche you out! Aim to the right, Poseidon!" Ryuga said, and Samurott adjusted his angle slightly as Devastator changed direction, pounding the helpless dual type creature with his deadly Hydro Pump.

Devastator growled as the jet of water blasted him helplessly backwards, soaking his skin and chilling his rock-hard body to the bone.

"Hmm... he's strong," Ryuga admitted as he noticed Devastator getting back to his feet, shaking his sodden scales as hard as he could. "Next time give it full power, alright Poseidon?"

Samurott nodded solemnly, staring over at Devastator in a challenging manner.

"Okay, now Devastator," Sari said anxiously, as her partner doggedly got back up into a fighting stance. "This is where we hit them really hard, right?"

Devastator nodded and growled shortly, focusing on Poseidon as if taking his eyes off the otter-creature would sap the last of the strength from his waning body.

"Razor Shell!" Ryuga said, and from here, Poseidon stood on his legs, and drew the sword from his left leg. The sword itself was shining a watery blue color, as Poseidon then slashed Devastator with all his might.

"Things may look bad, but there's still hope, Devastator. Use Return to beat Samurott once and for all!" Sari said, refusing to back down, and Devastator ran after Poseidon, which turned into a powerful charge, surrounded by a pinkish hue powered by the love for Sari.

"Block it!" Ryuga snapped, and Poseidon blocked the attack with amazing swiftness, as well as skill.

"Shell Armor is a great ability, don't you think?" Ryuga smiled, but Sari didn't return it. "Finish him with Hydro Pump!"

"Devastator, use Chip away, to defend yourself!" Sari cried, and Devastator's tail began to glow as Samurott's attack drew near.

The rhino-like Pokémon didn't flinch as the vortex of water plummeted towards him, and managed to deflect it for a short while before the attack hammered home. Devastator was knocked out even before he crashed to the floor, and Stark raised the red flag as the victorious Poseidon was returned to his ball, but not before Ryuga praised him for his battling.

"Rhydon is unable to battle! Samurott is the winner," Stark said as Sari regretfully recalled her Pokémon.

"Sari's Rhydon battle hard, but in the end, he was no match for Ryuga's Samurott!" Ayame announced. "Of course, this means that Ryuga and Thorn are the winners of the battle!"

Giving the crowd one last wave, Thorn and Ryuga headed towards the trainer's area for a break. It was around the same time when Thorn's Xtransceiver began to ring. He answered it, receiving a call from Shizune.

"Oh hey," he answered. "What's up?"

"I hope I'm not bothering you," Shizune said politely.

Thorn shook his head. "You aren't. Ryuga and I just finished our match."

"If that's the case, I feel that you must know..." Shizune said calmly before screaming. "Serperior has gone into labor!"

"Dear Arceus!" Thorn screamed frantically. "I'm coming, Serperior!" he yelled, running in a random direction.

"Uh...Thorn," Ryuga said, pointing the opposite direction. "The Pokémon Center is that way."

"I'm coming, Serperior!" Thorn cried, running in the right direction this time.

From within the V.I.P section of the stands, the members of the Unova and Sinnoh League watched as Thorn rushed off to be by Serperior's side. The first to speak was Sasori, who mastered in ghost type Pokémon.

"So, this is the trainer who wishes to join us," he sounded slightly amused, as his partner Banette stayed quiet, and looked at down at Thorn from his shoulder.

"He's quite the character...isn't he?" Konan chuckled a little.

Minato leaned over the rails to get a better look of what was happening. _"Just wait until they meet my son..." _he thought, as a smile crept its way onto his face.

Speaking of Naruto... the blond Entei student was currently leaving the battling field with partners, and their friend Axew.

_So far, most of the Entei students I know have already made it through,_ thought Naruto as he and his partners once again entered the trainer's section of the stadium.

It was here that Naruto treated his Pokémon friends and Axew for a drink, and a light snack. As the Pokémon ate hungrily at their food, Naruto directed his attention towards the cafe's television to watch the remaining battles.

"Wow! Who knew that this year's tournament would be so exciting?" Ayame announced to crowd. "So far, there are but five battles remaining—three of which are finishing up as we speak."

Ayame motioned for the camera to zoom in on the giant screen within. One of the current battles was between Chris and a lazy Raikou student from Black Academy named Nara Shikamaru.

"Alright Infernape, Special Move!" Chris called out to his partner. "Flare Combo!"

Running towards Shikamaru's Slaking, Infernape coated herself in a blazing fire. Once she was close enough, Infernape attacked with a series of fire coated punches and kicks, and ending the match between the two second year students.

"What an amazing performance!" Ayame said. "I've always heard that Raikou students have been working to combine their partner's maneuvers, but never like this!"

Shikamaru simply shrugged. "It doesn't really matter to me if we win or lose," he said to Slaking with a shrug of his shoulders, and a lazy yawn. "You lost too much energy battling with that Beartic, and plus, this entire tournament is annoying."

After shaking Chris' hand, lazily, Shikamaru left the stage with Slaking carrying him in his oversized hand.

"That's my girl," Chris gave Infernape a smile, and two thumbs up.

In response, Infernape blushed, and fiddled with her pink bandana tied around her neck as if she were a school girl. And with that, the two of them exited the stage, but only after giving the crowd a quick wave.

Naruto couldn't help but smile when Axew stood up proudly before the other Pokémon proudly as if to say, "That's my trainer," to them.

Next, was a battle between Suicune students Iris Rose and Morimoto Fuka.

"Come back, Romeo. You were great." Iris had returned her Umbreon to his ball after being defeated by Fuka's partner. Peering out to the opposing side of the field, her sapphire eyes narrowed, and she said, "You won't go un-avenged, I promise that."

Iris was sporting a white hat over her red hair, a matching shirt with three black roses, as well as long black sleeves attached to it, a matching pleated skirt, black leggings and boots, and black and white fingerless gloves on her hands.

"Yes! Serene, that was fantastic!" Fuka said, punching the air and calling out her partner Gardevoir.

Fuka was girl with short brown hair, and green eyes. Fuka wore a purple tank top, a pair of black leggings, and matching trainers. Iris just glared at the girl and pulled out another ball. "Riolu, finish this for me!"

"Fuka has chosen to keep Gardevoir out for the final battle, which has the advantage over Iris's Riolu! Is this battle already over?" Ayame said.

"Not if I can help it," Iris muttered, watching Riolu psyche himself up, in stark contrast with the calm, swaying Gardevoir he opposed.

"Wow! Looks like someone's looking out for me today on the luck front. Serene, finish this fight for me and you can have all the poffins you'll ever want!" Fuka promised, and Serene smiled excitedly at the prospect of sugar.

"Begin!" Asuma said, and Fuka commanded her partner.

"Use Captivate!" Serene fluttered her eyelashes at Riolu, staring into his eyes and smiling softly to lull him into a false sense of security.

"Ignore her, Riolu! Use Iron Defense to focus!" Iris said, and Riolu closed his eyes, seeming for a second to be enveloped in a silvery sheen, as if he were a metal statue.

When he opened his eyes again, he had shaken off Serene's wiles and was ready to strike back, with a boost to his defenses to boot. Iris smiled at this.

"Go!" she called. "Attack with Fire Punch!"

Riolu charged forwards, eager to be relentlessly attacking as his fist sparkled with flaring energy.

"Hurry, Serene! Use Reflect!" Fuka said; she could see from Riolu's expression that he was an aggressive Pokémon, and the best way to deal with them was to get them frustrated then hit them hard.

With little more than a blink Serene created a thin panel of energy between her and Riolu, and his fiery fist slammed into it as the small creature snarled with battle-lust. The Reflect shattered on impact, such was the strength of the blow, but it also blunted Riolu's attack and left the fighting Pokémon vulnerable.

"Use Future Sight!" Fuka called.

"Zen Head butt!" Iris shouted, and Riolu lowered his head and rammed Serene in the midriff with deceptive power, sending her floating backwards as all the air left her lungs.

However, her eyes glowed blue and soon enough a terrible attack would be headed Riolu's way.

"Harder, Riolu!" Iris commanded. "We need to work for the win! Blaze Kick!"

After a short run-up, Riolu leapt into the air, his foot blazing as he hurtled towards the seemingly defenseless Serene.

"Now Serene! Shadow Sneak!" Fuka countered, and Serene flattened herself to the floor until she was a black smudge on the ground, then crept under Riolu's mad leap and reared up behind him as he landed, lashing him with black tentacles before the psychic Pokémon returned to her true form.

Riolu snarled viciously and stamped his feet, snapping his jaws and pounding the air with his fists as he vented his rage. Fuka smiled as she saw her tactic was working, but Iris also grinned as she realized Riolu wasn't going to show his elusive opponent the slightest bit of mercy or restraint.

"Blaze Kick!" she cried, and Riolu jumped towards his foe savagely, swinging his foot in a deadly arc.

"Serene, it's time for Psychic!" Fuka said with a flourish, and straight away Riolu's leap was arrested as mental pulses warped his mind and attacked his body, tossing him around like a puppet before finally slamming him back to the floor head-first.

"Riolu, no! Get up!" Iris pleaded, and even to her surprise Riolu hopped straight back up, eager to get his overdue vengeance on the taken-aback Serene.

"Wow..." Fuka was slightly taken back by Riolu's will power. "Serene, Wish!"

Serene closed her eyes and placed her palms together as if she were praying for something to happen, and Iris took the split-second chance to catch her unawares.

"Riolu, Blaze Kick!" she commanded, and Riolu leapt again, his foot wreathed in flames as he hurtled towards his hated enemy.

The fiery kick slammed her straight in the face, and Riolu back-flipped away and landed perfectly as Serene flew backwards, head ringing and face tender with burns. Riolu roared victoriously as Serene collected herself, but his cry was cut short as the battle-field went silent; suddenly, a speeding ball of psychic energy slammed into him from the side, sending him flying to land in a crumpled heap on the ground.

"Good timing! Another Future Sight, Serene quickly!" Fuka said, and Serene's eyes glowed blue unopposed as Riolu struggled back up.

"You can do it, Riolu! You're not going to let her beat you, are you?" Iris said, faking impatience, and Riolu snarled with anger and effort combined as he took up a fighting stance. "Good! Now, show her a Fire Punch!"

"Serene, Reflect!" Fuka said, and yet again Riolu's hammer-like fist was stopped short by an energy panel; but this time, Fuka had an ulterior motive.

A shooting star suddenly sped overhead, and Serene sighed as soothing, healing energies washed over her; her Wish had come true not a second too soon. Iris wiped her brow; this was turning out to be tougher than she expected. Serene now looked no worse for wear, whilst Riolu was really showing his injuries. Fuka felt no more secure in her position; it was worrying that Riolu had survived a direct Psychic from Serene, as well as a Future Sight, and still he was willing to attack. This needed to end now.

"Psychic!" Fuka said, and Serene amassed a huge level of psychic power to her command, ready to crush Riolu with ease.

"Riolu, Fire Punch on the double!" Iris cried nervously, and Riolu dashed forwards, bringing his palm back as he prepared to strike a critical blow.

Mental energy washed over him as the Psychic attack began, and he yelped in pain, but that same pain focused his mind and drove him onwards. Serene heaped on as much psychic power as she could, making Riolu the nexus, hoping to crush him to the floor under the weight of the invisible force she wielded. Riolu continued to stagger forwards, but suddenly the battle-field went deadly silent again as another Future Sight finally came into play.

The incredible energy ball whistled towards Riolu, charging to meet him head on to compile with the Psychic, but Riolu merely growled and brought his burning fist forwards as hard as he could, pushing through the waves of Psychic to batter the Future Sight itself.

The psychic orb ricocheted off his palm and careered towards Serene, whose eyes widened with shock. She recoiled as the palmed Future Sight crashed into her, her Psychic flailing out of control, and Riolu took his last chance to run forwards and slam a second Fire Punch right under Serene's ribs. The psychic Pokémon rose up in the air, her hands grasping vainly for thin air before her eyes rolled and she floated back to earth. Serene was beaten, and Riolu laughed savagely as the judge stepped up to announce their victory.

"Gardevoir is unable to battle! Riolu is the winner! Iris wins the match!"

"Riolu, you're a genius!" Iris squealed as Riolu took up a heroic pose. "I can't fault you at all!"

"What drama! What a triumph! What spirit from Riolu! After a fantastic comeback, Iris is back in the game and proceeds to the next round of the tournament! Well done Iris!" Ayame cried, sounding positively tearful with emotion.

After watching these battles, Naruto's thoughts suddenly drifted towards his roommates, Sasuke, Lee, and Frost. Had the three of them competed just yet...?

"Scraggy, show me your Jump Kick!" Lee said, and the Scraggy he was with put ran straight for the straw dummy, and kicked it with sheer force.

With everyone's favorite martial-artist, he and his Scraggy were currently training outside of the stadium.

After watching the dummy's head fly nearly half way across the clearing, and Scraggy landed gracefully onto the grass, Lee said, "Alright! High-five!"

Scraggy smiled, and complied with his trainer's commands, slapping palms with him to celebrate his growing mastery of the attack.

"You know you're going to be a supporter in this match, right? You're my secret weapon; I'll need to unleash you in the finals, to really be sure of victory," Scraggy nodded, happy just to be with his trainer and not in his Pokéball for the first round of the tournament.

Soon after, Lee and Scraggy made their way towards the stadium, and waited for their names to be called from within the locker room. Minutes later, the two of them were joined by another trainer.

All of a sudden, the door to the waiting room opened, and a boy walked in whom lee assumed to be his challenger. He had spiky, dark hair, dark eyes, and showed no sign of fear. As well as a black t-shirt and camouflage pants, he wore a grey scarf, a pair of black boots, and fingerless gloves. Lee didn't feel in the least bit intimidated.

"The name's Abumi Zaku," he said jovially, walking up to a seat across from Lee.

Lee himself had changed his wardrobe for the tournament. He wore a black long sleeved changshan with a picture of the legendary Rayquaza on the back, silk black pants, and silk black shoes.

"Cool. I'm Rock Lee," he replied, smiling confidentially. "Feeling ready to battle today?"

"Never felt better. What about you?"

"I'm psyched up for the win, as usual really. I won't hold back, no matter how deceptively friendly you appear!" Lee joked.

"That's what I like to hear. We'll give each other a real good battle today, that's what I'm thinking," Zaku replied, but as he opened his mouth to continue, the speakers summoned them to the battle-field. "I suppose we'd better go."

Lee nodded, and so did Scraggy.

"Here we have Rock Lee, a trainer from Stark Mountain who is the grandson of the retired General Tao! He seems to have brought along a Scraggy too, but whether he's a supporter, coach or battler is open to debate. Facing him is Abumi Zaku from Fortree City, who has come in second place the Raikou division just last year, and thus has some tournament pedigree behind him in this battle," Ayame informed the audience as each challenger took their place.

"First, we need to change the field," Asuma said, motioning for the battling stage.

Lee and Zaku watched as the spinner landed on the rock insignia, meaning that this battle was going to take place on a rocky mountain terrain. The old field was replaced with a new one that resembled the training area where Lee and his team used to train back home.

Before the match could officially begin, the trainers had to choose their Pokémon. However, the spinner was going to pick their first partner for the match. The spinner had chosen Raichu for Lee, and Chimecho for Zaku.

"Will the challengers please release their Pokémon in three... two... one..." Asuma said, then lowered his different-colored flags to signify the first battle between the two.

Within the next twenty minutes, both Lee and Zaku were down to one Pokémon each. Currently, Zaku's Exploud had remained on top, and had just defeated Lee's Riolu with Echoed Voice.

"Okay, Riolu return," Lee's expression hardened as he recalled his partner to his ball.

With both Raichu and Meinshao seriously hurt, Lee figured it was time for Scraggy to play his part. After all, Lee had said he would be his secret weapon for today's battle.

"Show them what you can do, Scraggy!" Lee tossed the Pokéball in his hand hight into the air. In a burst if light, Scraggy made his appearence.

"Lee has sent out Scraggy to face Zaku's Exploud; even though Scraggy has the advantage, will he be able to withstand Exploud's Echoed Voice? It will be purely down to tactics as to who wins this match," Ayame said, and Asuma cried,

"Begin!"

"Exploud, start off with a Bulldoze!" Zaku cried, and Exploud charged towards the waiting Scraggy as he looked to his master for orders.

"Okay, Scraggy, dodge and use High Jump Kick!" Lee parried, and Scraggy also charged forwards, dashing from side to side to avoid Exploud's before hammering him with a volley of blows to his stomach.

"Exploud, get out of there!" Exploud hissed with pain as Scraggy leapt straight back up, using his small fists to batter him around the face as hard as he could before backing away to assess the damage.

Exploud snarled and favoured his aching face, but he was ready to strike back, so Zaku commanded,

"Exploud, show him a Brick Break!"

"Scraggy, Payback!" Lee ordered, and Scraggy formed a globe of dark energy in his palms, tossing it towards Exploud like a baseball pitcher.

However, Exploud wasn't going to give in easily, and the normal Pokémon dodged aside from the missile and swung his glowing fist around, hammering Scraggy across the face and sending him flying.

"Scraggy, air recovery!" Lee said, certain this was going to catch his foes unawares. Scraggy flipped backwards, and then he gently touched down, eager to get into battle again. "Let's try a Payback once more!"

"Exploud, counter it with Brick Break!" Zaku cried, and Exploud's fist crackled with mind-bending power as Scraggy's sent a blob of dark energy hurtling towards his foe.

Exploud roared as he brought his bulky fist into play again, and with a loud crack she completely deflected Scraggy's payback.

"It's a stalemate so far, but that's going to change real soon. Exploud, Ice Fang!" Zaku said, and Exploud rumbled forwards towards Scraggy, his fangs sharp as he prepared to bite the dual-type Pokémon as hard as he could.

"Scraggy, stand firm!" Lee said, and Scraggy obediently, albeit reluctantly, stayed where he was as Exploud slammed into him, snapping his jaws shut on Scraggy's right arm and exerting horrible pressure as well as ice.

"Perfect, now intercept with Dragon Claw!" Suddenly Exploud spluttered and coughed, releasing Scraggy and reeling backwards as a rainbow-colored fire flooded his mouth; a second later, Scraggy swung his other fist around, which collided with Exploud's jaw.

"Exploud! Counter it with Brick Break!" Zaku shouted, and Scraggy was sent flying by another glowing blow from Exploud, whose head was ringing after the double impact of Dragon Claw.

"Exploud, are you alright?" Zaku asked, and Exploud nodded wearily, but before he could take up a defensive stance, Lee was taking his opportunity.

"Hurry, and use Dragon Claw!" he ordered, and Scraggy blasted Exploud off his feet with a fire-covered fist that made his injuries sting painfully.

Lee smiled. "He's almost down! Continue with a High Jump Kick!"

"Exploud, try to endure the attack!" Zaku ordered, and Exploud got back to his feet and stood firm just in time, not moving an inch as Scraggy's foot slammed into him.

As the dark/fighting Pokémon recoiled, stunned by his attack's ineffectiveness, it was Zaku's turn to take command.

"Now Exploud! Use, Bulldoze!" Exploud toppled forwards onto his floored foe and crushed him beneath his huge weight, hoping to paralyse Scraggy's muscles so that he couldn't pull off any more smart dodges.

"It's not over yet! Use Dragon Claw!" Lee pleaded, and Exploud was forced onto the defensive as the desperately pinned Scraggy unleashed another firey fist into Exploud's stomach, focused solely on escape; the normal Pokémon held his stomach growling as the attack pounded him, recoiling from the powerful strike and allowing Scraggy some breathing room.

"Get back in there, Exploud! Don't let him get away! Use Brick break!" Zaku ordered impatiently, seeing Scraggy mobile again and eager to finish him off once and for all.

"Scraggy, dodge it, and use Dragon Claw!" Lee counter-commanded expertly, and Scraggy ducked beneath the fierce blow, feeling the fur on his head ruffle before he slammed his fist forwards into Exploud's stomach.

The normal Pokémon staggered backwards, gasping for air, and Lee once again saw a chance to finish off the match.

"High Jump Kick!" Scraggy jumped up and swung his foot in for a single hammer-blow as it gushed with power, and Zaku called out to his partner,

"Exploud, Echoed Voice!"

As Exploud reeled from the double-whammy, his hand flailed out and grabbed Scraggy by his leg. In a single, fluid movement, he swept Scraggy down through the air and slammed him to the floor with terrifying power, before releasing his most powerful attack.

"Come on Scraggy! Get out of there with Payback!" Lee commanded, trusting his training experience, and Buizel expertly directed the attack at the floor, which kicked up a cloud of dust.

While Exploud protected his eyes from the dust, Scraggy used this exact moment to escape, and flip through the air before landing at his trainer's box feet as smoothly as can be.

"We need to take Exploud down, and quickly. I have a plan, so you'll have to trust me, Okay?" Lee said, and Scraggy nodded once and waited for Exploud to launch his attack.

"Exploud, Scraggy's weakening, I can sense it. That Echoed Voice really got to him. All we need to do now is nail him with a really powerful move, so use Bulldoze!" Zaku shouted.

Exploud threw his head back and let out a screeching roar, barrelling towards Scraggy as a miasma of red-orange energy swirled around him, unheeding of anything as he concentrated on smashing into him as hard as possible.

"Scraggy, get ready! Exploud's coming!" Lee said, and Scraggy stood firm, doing his best to look confident and strong as the normal Pokémon raced towards him with rage in his eyes.

"Act like you're going to take the charge," Lee said quickly, and Scraggy reluctantly shifted his position as if he hoped to block Exploud with the weight of his smooth yellow body, lulling him into a false sense of security.

"Now! Jump upwards!" Lee called, and Scraggy flipped backwards, soaring into the air as the snarling normal Pokémon battered only thin air with his attack.

"Exploud, he's above you!" Zaku said with more than a hint of shock in his voice, stunned at Scraggy's ability.

"Scraggy, kick him!" Lee cried.

"Exploud, Brick break!" Zaku counter-commanded, but Exploud wasn't listening, trying to jump high enough to grab Scraggy and unleash his Bulldoze upon him.

Scraggy timed the move perfectly; just as Exploud leapt towards him for the third time, he met the kick head-on, and it exploded and blasted him helplessly back to the ground. Scraggy landed triumphantly in front of Lee's trainer's box, crossing his arms over his chest, but it seemed the battle wasn't over yet; Exploud painstakingly got to his feet and swung his fist towards his foe, using Brick Break as Zaku had commanded. However, the karate-chop missed Scraggy completely as the confused, but mostly tired Exploud underestimated the distance between them, and he ended up battering himself with the out-of-control strike.

"Exploud is unable to battle! Scraggy is the winner!" Asuma announced as the normal Pokémon collapsed, and his picture on the big screen faded.

"Exploud, return. I suppose I didn't expect you to get so tired, and that backfire quite that badly, but you gave Scraggy a good battle anyway," Zaku returned his partner to his ball.

"Scraggy, you were excellent! Your training has truely paid off." Lee gave Scraggy two thumbs-up before returning him to his ball.

"Next up, we have Perma-Frost and Fuma Sasame!" Ayame announced.

Naruto was able to spot Frost from the corner of his eye. Frost was chatting with Tenshi, until a voice over the speaker called him to the waiting room. Waving to Tenshi, Frost and his Dusclops headed towards the locker room.

"I see Duskull evolved," Naruto said as Frost and his partner approached him. "Are you using him for today's match?"

Frost smirked. "That would be telling," he teased. "Next you'll be asking for my tactics for the next round."

"It would be helpful, if you didn't mind..." Naruto replied jokingly. He was looking forward to his roommate's match, and both he and the Pokémon were already psyched for the next round.

"Nice try Namikaze," Frost chuckled, and gave Naruto a short wave heading towards the locker room with Dusclops.

Also waiting for the match to begin was a red headed girl named Fuma Sasame.

At first glance Sasame appeared young and charming, but Frost knew that she wouldn't have signed up for the tournament if she was a sweet, innocent little girl. Sometimes looks could be deceiving, and he was prepared to bet that this was one of those times. The sight of Minccino – a generally cute, unevolved normal type – on her shoulder had heightened his misgivings, and he wondered from time to time whether he should be relieved or worried by its presence. Then again, if it was as well-trained as it appeared, he could expect a good battle; and that was what he had entered the tournament for in the first place, he thought with a smile.

Sasame was also having her fair share of doubts about her foe. On the surface, he seemed amiable, serious and easygoing, but was this a front to get her off her guard? If so, she wouldn't be taken by surprise. Her brother Yusuke and his Girafarig were on the sidelines, ready to coach if need be, and her three picked Pokémon (which did, in fact, include Honey the Minccino) were all ready to give their all, as usual. More crucially, Frost had not yet made a remark about her being a girl, so she was feeling almost positive towards him at the minute.

Thus, for both competitors the nerves were strangely low, as if they were just battling as friends rather than rivals for first place, and both of them jumped to attention eagerly as the speaker announced,

**"Will Perma-Frost and Fuma Sasame please enter the battle-field. The match is about to begin,"**

"Good luck," Frost said, nodding to her genially.

"Thanks. Good luck to you too," Sasame replied, and the two of them walked onto the field together, able to appreciate the cheers of the fans and the comments of the announcer without too many butterflies in their stomachs.

"Battling with us now are Perma-Frost and Fuma Sasame. Sasame is here to show us that female trainers are just as strong as male trainers, whilst Frost is here to demonstrated impressive spirit and strength of will alongside his team of ice breathers. I think we can expect an entertaining battle today." Ayame said.

"Ah... the first field appears to be the ice field, which has yet to be used." Ayame intoned happily, and on her mark the ground began to shake as the plain field opened from the middle and slid under the two trainers leaving a giant rectangular hole where the field once was.

This was quickly replaced by a field of ice with ice pillars, and a pool of cold water covering some of the field and rose to position itself where the plain field was just a moment ago. Both Sasame and Frost were stunned to see the change of field, but they were forced into quick thinking as they heard Kakashi stepping up to the sidelines. Kakashi motioned for the spinner to choose the first fighters for the trainers.

After that, Kakashi raised the flags. "Will the battlers please release their Pokémon in three... two... one..."

"Cubchoo, the stage is yours!"

"Go, Azumarill!"

"Sasame has chosen Azumarill, an excellent choice for this field as it can utilize its thick fat in the cold stage. Frost's Cubchoo is also a great choice for this particular field, seeing as it lives in cold environments." Ayame announced.

"Begin!" Kakashi cried when the echoes of the Ayame's voice had died down.

"Azumarill, in the cold water!" Sasame ordered immediately, and Azumarill hopped off her platform, landing in the water with a splash. Now they would hopefully be able to hit Cubchoo with long range attacks, before ducking beneath the safety of the waterline, as Cubchoo was more of a physical attacker.

"Cubchoo, stay where you are!" Frost commanded, and in contrast, Cubchoo stayed on dry land and watched Azumarill dart around beneath as if she were just more prey.

"Now, use Hail until we can get a good enough shot at them," Cubchoo called out, creating a hail storm which rained over the entire stadium.

"Hmm... we'd better not give them an opening, right Azumarill?" Sasame said, and Azumarill nodded with determination.

"Let's get started with an Ice Beam!" Azumarill's head bobbed up above the surface, and suddenly a crackling beam of frigid energy was blasting from her mouth, and made its way towards Cubchoo.

"Now, Cubchoo use Shadow Claw!" Frost cried, and Cubchoo made his move; Cubchoo dodged, and then created an icy platform with his Ice Beam.

The platform floated towards Azumarill, and Cubchoo was ready to swipe his claws at her as soon as his was close enough.

"Azumarill, counter it with Iron Tail!" Sasame ordered quickly, and Azumarill was suddenly haphazardly fending off Cubchoo's attack with one of her own. This of course had drove her backwards as she attempted to use her glowing tail as a makeshift shield and weapon.

However, Cubchoo was so fierce and quick that she found herself unable to cope, and soon the Iron Tail flickered and died as the assault reached a vicious peak.

"Perfect! Now, use Shadow Claw to pull her of the water!" Frost commanded, and Cubchoo grabbed the groggy Azumarill's long ears in his strong shadow-covered claws, tossing her onto the icy surface and into his element.

"Azumarill, focus! Try and use Water Pulse!" Sasame counter-commanded, and Azumarill quickly formed a sphere of water in her hands, crackling with confusing energy as she refused to admit defeat.

"Cubchoo, quickly! Counter it with Ice Beam!" Frost urged, and before Azumarill could fire her projectile she was being struck by a crackling beam of energy.

"Azumarill, no!" Sasame cried, but Cubchoo's attack had already hit home.

Hail also did it job of striking as the battered Azumarill landed with a loud splash, then crawled back onto a floating platform, breathing heavily as she sought to regain her composure.

"Take as long as you need. We'll beat them, I promise you that," Sasame encouraged through gritted teeth, watching Cubchoo return to his side of field. No one was going to hurt her Azumarill like that and get away with it.

"Cubchoo, that was good, but we'll have to attack even harder next time," Frost said, seeing that Azumarill wasn't knocked unconscious as planned.

She either had high resolve, or she was tougher than she looked. Perhaps both. At any rate, he needed to end the match soon. So instead, Frost shouted, "Knock her off the platform with Shadow Claw!"

_Come on Azumarill,_ Sasame thought. _You can do it, _

Honey squeaked his own encouragement, but still the water Pokémon was unheeding.

"Azumarill, get up!" Sasame urged as Cubchoo sharpened his claws, and Azumarill struggled upwards, ready to fight back.

"Quickly! Use Dive!" Azumarill hopped off the platform and dived underwater, going as deeply as possible to build up the most momentum she could for the actual strike. However, hitting Cubchoo wasn't what Sasame had planned, at least not yet. Shadow Claw was a double-edged sword, in that it would hardly ever miss – even if your opponent was at the bottom of the pool.

Cubchoo flinched as he saw where he was headed, but a powerful force drew him onwards, pulling him towards Azumarill like a magnet; with a loud splash, he plunged into the water. Frost gasped as the bear cub sank deeper into the water; even as he swiped his claws into Azumarill, the water Pokémon was fighting back, swimming in from all sides and attacking with limbs and tail in a barrage.

"Cubchoo, get out of there quickly!" Frost yelled, but Cubchoo's fur was saturated, making it unbelievably heavy and difficult to move around underwater.

However, Cubchoo managed to swim to shore, and climb onto one of the platform. Here, the small bear cub shook his fur to get it dry.

"He's helpless, Azumarill! Time for an Iron Tail finisher!" Sasame said, eager to have the battle under wraps whilst Cubchoo was an easy target, and Azumarill swam towards her foe, swinging her tail around like a ball-on-chain as it shone with steadily-increasing steely power.

Frost's mind was in a whirl as the distressed Cubchoo tried to dry his fur, but Sasame herself had just given him a plan.

"Cubchoo, stand firm! Weather the Iron Tail no matter what!" he cried, and Cubchoo nodded grimly, preparing to receive the blow and hoping his trainer had a trick up his sleeve.

Before Sasame could puzzle out what was going on, it was too late, and Azumarill was on Cubchoo's platform. Her Iron Tail slammed right on top of Cubchoo's skull, sending shivers down his entire body, but suddenly his eyes flicked open with just as much grim determination as before. It was then, when it was all but useless, that she remembered Cubchoo was a physical attacker.

"Shadow Claw!" Frost yelled, and Cubchoo powered into battle, hammering Azumarill with blows that suggested overdue vengeance was on the cards.

Kicks from Cubchoo's feet were followed by slashes from his claws. Just as Azumarill stumbled backwards under the unexpected ferocity of the attack, Cubchoo saw that she was going to fall back into the water, so ended it with a powerful head-butt right between the eyes. The world swam before Azumarill's eyes as the blow connected, and the last thing she saw before losing consciousness was her foe, fussily shaking his fur again, his interest in the battle lost.

"Azumarill is unable to battle. Cubchoo is the winner!" Kakashi announced.

"Cubchoo strikes back, luring Azumarill into close quarters where he impacted like a ton of bricks! The battle could have gone either way, but it seems that Cubchoo came out on top today!" Ayame said excitedly.

"Azumarill, return. I saw his plan too late, but don't worry. I'll win this battle for you," Sasame promised as she recalled the fainted Azumarill.

"Great job, Cubchoo. I knew you could survive that Iron Tail," Frost complimented his Pokémon.

"Choo," Cubchoo replied in a disgruntled fashion, as if to say "That's all well and good, but what about my fur?', before being recalled for a well-deserved rest.

Meanwhile, Sasame was wondering who she should choose for the next round.

"Hmm... what now? I really don't want to send Honey out just yet. I guess I'll have to go with my trump card," Sasame said to herself, fingering the Pokéball on a chain around her neck.

"Please release your Pokémon in three... two... one..." Kakashi said, and lowered his flags.

"Glaceon, the stage is yours!"

"Go, Gallade!"

"Sasame has picked Gallade – who, like Kabuto's Reuniclus, appears to have alternate coloration. Frost has picked Glaceon, one of Eevee's many evolutionary forms," Ayame said thoughtfully, examining the odd match-up.

"Begin!"

"Gallade, attack with Stone Edge!" Sasame ordered, and Gallade's sword-like arms shone as though they were polished as he slammed them into a nearby boulder, shattering it and sending a flurry of shards towards the Glaceon he faced.

"Glaceon, dodge it quickly!" Frost parried, and Glaceon easily slipped away from the lumpy shards of rock, dancing away from each strike with a silvery trail glowing in the air behind her.

"Perfect! Now use Water Pulse!" Frost yelled.

"Gallade, Psychic!" Sasame commanded quickly, and Gallade closed his eyes, using his psychic powers to hurl boulder after boulder until they were raining down on Glaceon like a wave.

Glaceon blasted her Water Pulse assault at her foe whilst leaping up into the air to avoid one rock, but it immediately disintegrated as it met another hurtling boulder, whilst proceeded to crash into the snowy kitsune and send her flying. In a few horrifying seconds Gallade's job was complete, and Glaceon was completely invisible beneath a pile of shattered debris.

"Glaceon, get out of there!" Frost said, his voice shaking slightly; he couldn't bear to see his precious Glaceon get hurt.

It was clear that Sasame wasn't holding anything back, and he needed to do the same and fast if he wanted any hope of victory. There was no sign of movement from within the rubble, but Frost wasn't bothered; Glaceon was hopefully waiting until Gallade was close until she could strike with vengeance. As it turns out, Frost was right. As soon as Gallade had approached the pile of rubble, he was suddenly blasted by Glaceon's Water Pulse.

"Nice one Glaceon," Frost complimented. He pointed his finger at Gallade. "Attack with Water Pulse once more!"

"She's still here I see...Gallade, use Calm Mind" Sasame said, licking her dry lips as she waited for Glaceon to attack once more.

She needed to get off the defensive as soon as possible, or Glaceon's agility would get the better of Gallade.

"Calm Mind, eh? That means he's getting ready to survive whatever we throw at him! Glaceon, don't attack! Instead, use Attract!" Frost cried as the opposing Pokémon steeled himself to absorb the impact.

Nodding, Glaceon approached the psychic Pokémon and sat before him, smiling seductively as she prepared to catch her opponent off-guard. Gallade's eyes opened a fraction as he wondered where the inevitable impact was, and he recoiled slightly in shock as he saw Glaceon less than a meter away. He was about to look to Sasame for guidance, but then he saw Glaceon bat her eyes over and over again. Gallade felt his cheeks warm up as he continued to stare at artic kitsune.

"Gallade, snap out of it! use X-Scissors!" Sasame shouted, but before Gallade could process what she said, Frost made his move.

"Now, Glaceon! Use Ice Beam" Gallade grunted as a beam of icy energy slammed into him, sending him flying backwards until he stabilized himself.

"Gallade, you can take it! Jump and use X-Scissors!" Sasame ordered, and Gallade gripped stood up, rooting himself in place and crossing his arms over his face to block the stream of ice.

As he pushed ever closer to his foe, Gallade's arms began to glow with ominous power, shimmering with a slight miasma of green as he amassed all the fighting/psychic power at his command into a single strike.

"Hurry Glaceon and use Water Pulse! Ice beam isn't making enough of a dent!" Frost cried, seeing his foe striding closer and closer, and Glaceon blasted a stream of water towards her foe, hoping to pierce his indomitable defense.

"Gallade, use your X-Scissors to bat it right back!" Sasame said confidently, and Gallade released an X-shaped beam at the Water Pulse assault, which cut through the attack, and Gallade remained unharmed.

However, this had been just what Frost had expected.

"Now, attack with Ice Beam!" he parried, and Glaceon dashed forwards towards Gallade, ignoring the Water Pulse's impact completely before firing Ice Beam into Gallade's back.

The dual type Pokémon gasped as the attack struck him and Sasame cursed her bad judgment; it looked like she'd have to stop getting caught up in theatrics and start pounding on Glaceon as hard as possible.

"Gallade, can you continue?" she asked, and Gallade nodded weakly, hopping back up to his feet. "Time for a super-effective Close Combat!"

"Not this time," Frost smiled. "Glaceon, Dodge it!"

Gallade slammed into a rock as Glaceon flipped backwards, and before he could even recover from the impact the ice-type Pokémon blasted him with full on Water Pulse.

"She's up close! X-Scissors!" Sasame yelled as Gallade was forced further and further back, and his arms swirled with power again as he slashed Glaceon with them.

"Glaceon, keep going! Use Water Pulse on Gallade!" Frost commanded, and Glaceon fired her attack as Gallade tried attack once more.

The psychic Pokémon was about to get up for more punishment, but just as he stood firm, his eyes began to roll and he fell back to the floor limply, and Sasame gasped.

"Gallade is unable to battle. Glaceon is the winner," Kakashi announced as Gallade lay sprawled on the floor.

"Gallade, return. We were beaten because of my own short-sightedness, so don't feel bad," Sasame said, disappointed that she wasn't going to clinch an early win.

"Glaceon, you were brilliant just as always," Frost said, and Glaceon smiled back at him.

"Gallade is down! Glaceon overcomes a type disadvantage, turning every new setback into a plan of her own," Ayame announced as the third battle was just about to start.

"Please release your Pokémon in three... two... one..." Kakashi lowered his flags, signaling the trainers.

"Go, Honey!"

"Dusclops, the stage is yours!"

"It appears that Sasame has chosen her partner Minccino, and Frost has picked his Dusclops to battle for the final battle!" Ayame said. "Each side has its advantages and disadvantages. I wonder how this will affect the battle."

"Begin!" Kakashi cried.

"Okay, Honey, we'll need to take it slowly, so, I'm going to need for you to hide behind the pillars of ice. Wait for Dusclops to strike, then we'll take it from there," Sasame said.

"Keep cool, Dusclops. We'll force him into view and keep up the attack," Frost assured his Pokémon, who nodded in agreement. "Give him a Confuse Ray attack!"

Suddenly the field was bathed in a terrible screaming noise that made the grass ripple with the force, aimed solely at making Honey reveal himself.

"Psychological warfare! Alright, Honey, try countering it with an Ice Beam!" Sasame ordered, and Honey bounced upwards, propelled by his powerful tail until he was at eye level with his ghost-type foe.

Dusclops recoiled and bellowed with pain as a hail of glowing beam of energy slammed into him, stinging his eye as Honey targeted the weakest points of his gigantic, impervious body.

"There he is, Dusclops! Intercept with your own Ice Beam!" Frost commanded, and the Ice Beam assault was interrupted as another, yet haphazard Ice Beam missed Honey by inches; only his agility allowed him to avoid the strike at all, and he landed cleanly in a long patch of snow, disappearing again like a ghost.

Frost smirked. "I see what they're doing. Let's use Shadow Sneak to scan the field!" Dusclops flattened himself to the ground, searching for his opponent.

"Honey, stop him! Use Ice Beam!" Sasame cried, seeing that Honey's hiding places being reduced by the second, and Dusclops was forced onto the defensive as first a wave of glowing beam hammered him over and over again until Frost stepped in.

"Dusclops defend yourself! Use Ice Beam!" Dusclops fired an Ice Beam if his own to cancel out Honey's attack.

However, after Dusclops defended himself from one attack, a second Ice Beam was fired immediately to take its place.

"That came from the left! Keep using Ice Beam!" Frost ordered as the icy barrage died down, and Dusclops fired his attack in a complete circle to try to catch Honey for some damage.

"Honey, counter it with Iron Tail!" Sasame said, and suddenly Honey appeared in a bare patch of the field, glaring up at the Dusclops that only just noticed him.

The two Pokémon were silent for a moment, each glowing with a steely sheen, before Dusclops tried karate-chopping Honey with one of his ghostly fists and Honey leapt up, the former bellowing and the second deadly silent as he swung his tail around for the maximum possible impact. There was a loud crash as the two attacks met head-on, and with a crackle of power both combatants were pushed back, Honey landing perfectly and Dusclops shaking his head slightly before regrouping.

"What? How could his Iron Tail be as powerful as your Brick Break?" Frost wondered, troubled by the equality of the exchange.

"Iron Tail's our signature move. Honey's the best on the team at using it," Sasame replied with a smile. "Sure you don't want to forfeit?"

"No doubt about it," Frost grinned, before getting back to the battle. "Dusclops, he's right there! Ice Beam!"

Dusclops' fist glittered as frost coated them, and then a ray of icy energy was fired; Frost was hoping to hit the now-visible Honey with a super-effective attack, and possibly even freeze him solid to set up for a real Brick Break to be proud of.

"Honey, use some of that speed! Show me Agility!" Sasame said as Ice Beam approached.

Honey dashed back and forth as Dusclops slammed fired his assault over and over again, leaving patches of ice in his wake before rearing his hands back to strike again. Sasame had hoped to weaken Dusclops by making him use one of his best moves repeatedly, but it seemed the ghost Pokémon was far too resilient to sustain any sort of damage from the repeated usage. What was worse, the patches of ice were quickly becoming just as widespread, which certainly wasn't good for Honey.

"Time for an Hidden Power!"

"Dusclops, they're resorting to direct attacks! Keep it up for just a bit longer, and show me Brick Break once more!" Frost said triumphantly, and Dusclops threw his whole body behind the attack, confident that his own toughness would win this battle

Honey, on the other hand, had soon fired a barrage of shinning orbs, and bouncing up with his muscled tail, he avoided Dusclops' lunge and slammed the his Iron Tail right on top of his head. The Cyclops Pokémon stumbled backwards, his attack forgotten as the Swift attack wracked his mind, and he reared up groggily, blocking

"Aha! Finally we see progress!" Sasame beamed, and Honey flashed her a thumbs-up. "Keep him reeling with Hidden Power!"

"Dusclops, Ice Beam!" Frost counter-commanded, and once again Dusclops fired the icy attack, which froze the ground as his attack missed; however, the Ice Beam had done its most important job and kept Minccino on his toes until Dusclops could focus again.

"Use Brick Break!" Dusclops lunged forward, and Honey was finally caught off-guard as Dusclops' fist slammed into him.

The normal-type Pokémon rolled backwards under the force of the blows, but got up quickly, ready to face his recouped opponent.

"Honey, use Iron Tail!" Sasame cried; with Shadow Sneak on their side, Dusclops could easily find Honey, and on top of that he'd had just been caught off-guard, showing that he was weakening from exertion.

A series of hit-and-runs would have to carry the day if he wanted to win this match.

"Dusclops, counter with your Brick Break!" Frost parried, and the two attacks clashed; with another crackle of power, both were thrown backwards, although they seemed relatively unharmed.

It was a deadlock in terms of power.

"Dusclops, make one last effort! Ice Beam!" Frost ordered; Honey was visibly tiring, whilst Dusclops had endurance to spare.

It might take a while, but eventually Ice Beam would hit, and that would be the end of Honey.

"Honey, time for something a little different. Jump on his back!" Sasame commanded as Honey flipped away from another lunge, and as he landed, he used his powerful tail again to launch himself up towards Dusclops' back.

"Dusclops, dodge using Shadow Sneak!" Frost cried, and Dusclops flattened himself to the ground; this was it, the perfect moment to attack, just when Honey landed and was helpless.

Honey searched around for any sign of Dusclops he could. In contrast, Frost smirked.

"Yes! Now, use Brick Break!" Frost shouted excitedly.

As Honey continued to search around, he had failed to notice the flat shadow figure underneath his feet. And then, without notice, Dusclops reached one of his hands above. Honey reacted promptly by turning around, and attack, but was suddenly stopped by Dusclops slamming his fist down in chopping motion.

"Honey...?" Sasame called out to her partner. "Come on, you can do it! Attack with Iron Tail!"

Sasame was wrong. Before Honey could even make the slightest effort of attack, the normal type mammal fell to the ground, naming Dusclops and frost the winners of the battle.

"Mincinno is unable to battle," Kakashi waved the flags, and Honey's picture faded from the score board. "Victory goes to Frost and Dusclops!"

Sasame sighed, but smiled as she returned Honey to his ball. "Well, I guess it does matter," she said. "You battled greatly, Honey."

"Nice job, Dusclops," Frost recalled his partner as well. "We're going have to work on your speed for next, though."

**"Will Uchiha Sasuke and Yakashi Kabuto please enter the battle field—the match is about to begin,"** the familiar voice of the speaker announced, and it seemed to echo around the tense waiting room as both trainers snapped to attention.

This was it, the last battle before the first day of the tournament ended.

Kabuto was doing his best to stay cool and calm, but it was difficult when his title as Raikou student was at stake. Sasuke was also an obvious dark horse; the two of them hadn't said a single word together the whole time. In fact, Sasuke preferred it that way. Kabuto was wondering whether this was over-confidence he could exploit or just a unique method of psyching up for the Uchiha boy. Or perhaps, it was neither, and that disturbed him. Kabuto liked to think he was a good judge of character, but he was rattled by the boy, from his dark colored eyes to his complete stillness and silence. He wasn't facing just any Entei student, and that should have pleased him. However, it actually made him uneasy as to what he should expect from the Entei Dorm's prodigy.

For his part, Sasuke also felt the ripple of nerves that occasionally wash through him, but excitement as well. He was facing a student a semester ahead of him, and he'd also get a chance to test out his team's new techniques. Kabuto's gaze was penetrating and seemed unblinking, as if he was probing his mind for secrets. This made Sasuke feel exceptionally uncomfortable–he loath others knowing anything about him, especially someone he and his team were about to fight. However, Sasuke did his best to just relax and ignore the Raikou student, preparing for the trial ahead.

It wasn't like him to feel nervous, but what if the prize were a sturdy dragon, or possibly a pseudo-legendary? Sasuke just hadn't expected himself to be so tense about this tournament. The only reason he was really participating, after all, was to train up his team before heading off to the Sinnoh League. It was this realization that the nerves were getting to him that unsettled him the most, and he almost leapt from his seat as the speaker spoke, trying his best to hide his nerves.

"We'd better go," Kabuto piped up, clearing his throat and getting to his feet. "They're waiting for us."

Sasuke nodded silently and got up, striding out of the waiting room and doing his best to keep his face and body language cold and impassive. Sasuke closed his eyes and breathed deeply as Kabuto walked ahead, and told himself that he would give this battle his all. He was sure that this guy would become an open book when they began to fight, and he could exploit that at will. It was time to clinch his place in the second round and eventually win that rare Pokémon in finals to show Itachi what he's made of. Going over his tactics and Pokémon one last time, he followed Kabuto out onto the field as the crowd cheered.

"In our final match of the day, we have Uchiha Sasuke against Yakashi Kabuto! Both of them proved to be powerful Trainers in their own right, but only one of them can get a coveted place in the second round," Ayame cried as Sasuke took his place opposite Kabuto. "However, before the match can begin, the field needs to change."

The trainers and the people of the crowd watched as the spinner over head spin, and then land onto the rain forest icon.

Sasuke's mind was suddenly swimming with new tactics as he remembered the week before in his battling class when his team had fought on difficult terrains, and as each new win came to mind he felt more and more confident. Perhaps this was what could help him achieve victory today; clever tactics would be necessary to overcome this unexpected obstacle, and that was where he excelled. As Kakashi stepped up, Sasuke finally felt himself slip back into his old self, looking over at Kabuto calculatingly and forgetting his nerves. It was time to decide who was going through to the next round.

"Get ready to release your Pokémon. The field should be changing any second," Kakashi said, and each trainer watched as the battle-field split in half, each side sliding out of view as another field rose up to take its place.

"The match will take place on the rain forest battle-field," Kakashi summed up, seeing the battle-field swaying with shrubs, some of which were almost as tall as Sasuke. "And your first choices are..."

Kabuto and Sasuke watched as the spinner landed randomly on one their partners. For this round, Kabuto would be using his Togekiss. As for Sasuke, the spinner had chosen Oshawott.

"Please release your partners in three... two... one..." Kakashi and each Trainer analyzed their Pokémon's chances on a grass field in the split-second before choosing and unleashing their warriors.

"Togekiss, time to battle!"

"Oshawott, get out here!"

"It seems that Sasuke has sent out Oshawott, who's small but packs a punch, and Kabuto has chosen Togekiss, who is fully evolved, and capable of using powerful moves! However, evolution is certainly no guarantee of power in Pokémon battles; a tiny Squirtle can easily overcome a gigantic Onix with support of its trainer."

"Begin!" Kakashi called, lowering his flags.

"Togekiss, he's obviously going to set the field alight with Ice Beam, so fly above the grass and use Rain Dance!" Kabuto said, and Togekiss flew upwards, her tiny wings fluttering as clouds gathered overhead.

Oshawott found the water to be refreshing, and because of it, his Scald attack would be powered up. However, the rain was making the grass wet and slimy; certainly not good conditions for the tiny otter to run around in.

"Quick Oshawott shoot Ice Beam into the air!" Sasuke ordered, and Oshawott fired an icy beam of energy into the air at Togekiss.

"A straight-on attack, huh? Okay then, Togekiss, use Thunder!" Kabuto said with a tight smile, and Togekiss glowed with electricity as a huge bolt blasted up into the heavens, slamming into the center of the swirling storm.

Oshawott avoided the attack by hiding in behind some of the trees of the battling field. As Oshawott hid behind the trees, Togekiss blasted them with Thunder. Eventually, all of the trees were destroyed, leaving Oshawott open for an attack.

"Use Thunder again!" Kabuto pointed his finger at Oshawott.

Oshawott was able to dodge the first assault, but then a second bolt hurtled downwards twice as fast, hitting the water Pokémon and rendering him completely immobile as thousands of volts wracked his body.

"Heh...since Oshawott is purely a water type that should have been enough to finish him. Good job, Togekiss," Kabuto smirked as poor Oshawott lay awkwardly on the field, giving up on his attack and panting heavily.

However, Kabuto's smile wavered as Sasuke stayed silent, watching Oshawott struggle as if he didn't even notice what trouble he was in.

"Come on, get up Oshawott," Sasuke muttered under his breath from his trainer's box. "We can do this if we strike back quickly."

After his held item had restored a bit of energy, Oshawott got back to his feet and shook his head, clearing out the last of the ringing noises that had plagued him after the deadly Thunder assault. It was time for the small otter to take control of this battle, and defeat the bird-like creature that flew in front of his hazy vision. This had caused Kabuto's smile disappeared completely as Oshawott, blasting his Ice Beam into the air that rivaled the bolt of lightning Togekiss had unleashed, before stepping up to battle again.

"Oh, so you're still here. Togekiss, use Thunder!" Kabuto said sharply, but Oshawott wasn't moving in for a direct attack as expected, and the rocks floated over his head uselessly before Oshawott jumped onto her back, and blasted the Happiness Pokémon's wing with Ice Beam.

Togekiss squeaked with discomfort as she realized she was plummeting towards the ground at a rapid pace.

"W-what?" Kabuto gasped. "We're not going lose! Togekiss, use Wish!"

"Again, Oshawott!" Sasuke barked, and all of a sudden, as a shooting star sped overhead, Oshawott and Togekiss were plummeting towards the ground nose-first as if they were going to plough straight into it without a second thought.

Wet mud and grass stalks splattered up into the air as Togekiss crashed onto the field, and Oshawott landed on one of the shrubs whilst escaping with less than bumps and bruises himself.

"Osha!" he said triumphantly as he landed, and then took his place back onto the field, waiting for his next command.

"Togekiss, are you alright?" Kabuto asked, but before the muddy Pokémon could reply, a second shooting star sped overhead, and healing energy washed through her, warming her from the inside and soothing her injuries. Suddenly she was ready to battle again, eager to pay Oshawott back with interest.

"Good," Kabuto sighed in relief. Then, he pointed at Oshawott. "Now how about using Thunder once more!"

Togekiss used what little strength she had left to manifest her psychic powers, which would soon become a shockwave hurling towards Oshawott. Oshawott was sure he had a plan, so he paused and waited for Sasuke to command him.

"Focus energy, Oshawott!" Sasuke called. "And then follow it up with Revenge!"

Harnessing energy from an unknown force, Oshawott's body began to glow with power. Oshawott then ran towards the earth-bound Togekiss at a rapid. Sasuke knew that Oshawott's energy was still below halfway, but because of this, his attack would cause more damage. It was risky, but Oshawott ran straight for Togekiss, and tackled her with all his might.

"Togekiss...?" Kabuto suddenly said to himself; his partner was sent hurdling towards a tree in one quick motion.

"Good one, Oshawott. Keep it up," Sasuke said, and Oshawott pumped his small fin into the air as a display of victory.

"You haven't won just yet," Kabuto said as Togekiss rose up shakily. "Looks like we have no choice but use our finishing move, Togekiss. Time for a Last Resort!"

Togekiss scrunched up her face, and suddenly a massive wave of sparkling lights, spinning stars, and energized raindrops was rolling over Oshawott, hammering him with all the energy Togekiss had left at her disposal. Oshawott reeled backwards, overcome as his vision was marred with flashing lights, and he shook his head to try and focus. He was on the verge of fainting, but all of a sudden he was charging towards the weakened Togekiss, slipping and sliding on the muddy grass the entire time.

Kabuto's mind was suddenly blank; he had expected Last Resort to be just that, an attack that would finish Oshawott for the battle. However, Oshawott was still going, lumbering towards Togekiss and firing an Ice Beam attack. As Oshawott staggered backwards, breathing heavily and more vulnerable than ever, Togekiss fell to the floor with a weak splat, doused with mud and rain as the storm began to clear.

"Togekiss is unable to battle. Oshawott wins!" Kakashi announced, raising his green flag as Oshawott bellowed and launched an Ice Beam attack into the air.

Kabuto has then returned his partner to her ball.

_This kid isn't playing around..._ he thought, reaching into his pocket for his next choice. _It seems that I'll have to give this battle my all as well._

Oshawott fired one last Ice Beam for the crowd before returning to Sasuke, who crossed his arms staring down at the small otter.

"Normally, I would scald you for gloating," Sasuke said. And then, he smirked at Oshawott. "But since I'm a good mood, I'll let it slide."

Oshawott smiled as Sasuke pulled out his ball, recalling him for a short break.

Within the next few minutes, the grass battle-field sank out of sight, now a mess of soaking vegetation and splattered mud, and in its place came a swimming-pool-like field with several platforms floating on top of the water, and an enormous fountain within the middle of the field.

"Now the battlers are faced with a water field; the type of Pokémon choice is obvious, but will there be any secondary types that will swing the battle?" Ayame wondered as the fans looked on.

"Will the battlers please release their Pokémon in three... two... one..." Kakashi said, and both trainers hurled their Pokéballs up into the air to unleash their warriors.

"Misdreavus, get out here!"

"Reuniclus, time to battle!"

"It appears that Sasuke has gone with Misdreavus, a cute little ghost Pokémon, whilst Kabuto has picked Reuniclus, seemingly with an odd alternate coloration. It seems it will be Misdreavus versus Reuniclus here today on the water-palace field, meaning that sheer guts and tactics will be the only option for victory!"

Sasuke smirked as Ayame fell silent. He hadn't expected Kabuto to release a psychic type, but of course, it didn't matter. Misdreavus had the advantage, that's all that mattered.

"Begin!" Kakashi said.

"Misdreavus, start out with Mean Look!" Sasuke called. "And then follow it up with Power Gem!"

Misdreavus floated towards her opponent, and her eyes began to glow red with psychic power. Now, Reuniclus was no longer able to escape from the battle.

"Reuniclus dodge and use Telekinesis!" Kabuto said, and Reuniclus flattened himself onto a floating platform, letting the Power Gem speed overhead before rising back up, and suspending Misdreavus in mid-air.

"Now, use Psyshock!" Kabuto added, and Reuniclus created an orb of silver and lavender colored energy, which was then fired at Misdreavus.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the Raikou student, even though the attack didn't do much damage.

"Misdreavus, concentrate. We have the advantage, but we need to stay alert nonetheless, unless they have a tactic up their sleeves," Sasuke called out to his partner.

"Try using Energy Ball!" Sasuke said.

"Reuniclus, block it with Gyro Ball!" Kabuto commanded.

As Misdreavus fired an orb of nature power towards him, Reuniclus spun his body around to avoid taking damage. Once there, Reuniclus hurled his spinning body towards Misdreavus, slamming into her.

Kabuto smirked. "Once more Reuniclus!" he shouted in triumph, and the cell-like Pokémon spun his body around while chasing after Misdreavus.

Sasuke glared at the Raikou student, but was more concerned about Misdreavus.

"Fight back Misdreavus!" he yelled. "Try using Power Gem again!"

A glowing yellow orb of light appeared in front of Misdreavus, and was then shot Reuniclus.

Kabuto smirked. "This again?" he asked. "Counter it with Psyshock, Reuniclus!"

Just as Misdreavus had created an orb, Reuniclus had manifested one of his own, and released it. The attack collided, creating an explosion, and thick cloud of smoke to cover the battling field. Once everything was clear, Kabuto didn't waste any time calling out his next command.

"Now, Reuniclus!" he shouted. "Attack with Gyro Ball!"

As the homunculus-Pokémon sped towards Misdreavus, Sasuke called out his next command.

"Misdreavus, counter it with Energy Ball!" he said; he was hoping to psyche Kabuto out to the point where he would be able to make things easier for Misdreavus, and it seemed that imitating him to the letter was the best way to go about that.

The green orb crashed into Reuniclus before he could get any closer to Misdreavus. Although the attack didn't do much damage, it was enough to get Reuniclus to stop dead in his tracks.

Kabuto gritted his teeth, wracked his brain for a new tactic and cried, "Okay then, try using Energy Ball yourself!"

Reuniclus gave up his Gyro Ball attack, and released a green ball of energy that sped towards like a torpedo.

"Dodge it!" Sasuke called out his partner almost immediately. "Then use Perish Song!"

After dodging the attack, Misdreavus suddenly appeared behind Reuniclus, and sang loudly. While doing so, a cluster of black musical notes encircled Reuniclus, and then disappeared.

"They might be able to match us with power, but never with skill." Sasuke stated, firmly.

Just as Togekiss had played her last card, it was time for Misdreavus to do the same with Perish Song. Within the next minute, both Pokémon would faint. Sasuke had noticed that Misdreavus was breathing heavily, may not last another second. It was a risky move, but the Uchiha boy decided that she should stay in battle, until the effects of Perish Song could take effect, or at least until Reuniclus could no longer escape.

Kabuto on the other hand was thinking of switching out his partner for his last. That is, until Sasuke caught on, and shouted, "Quick, Misdreavus! Use Mean Look!"

Once here, Misdreavus closed, and then reopened her glowing eyes wide, as her body flashed black with color. Kabuto knew that Reuniclus could no longer escape, so the only option he had left was to take down Misdreavus.

Kabuto smirked, adjusting his glasses. "It's time to end this! Use Telekinesis, Reuniclus, and then follow it up with Energy Ball!"

Reuniclus held out his long and gelatin-like arms in front of his body. From here, Misdreavus' entire body was lifted even more than usual into the air without any means to escape, making her the perfect target.

Sasuke thought quickly. "If he's using it, then you use Energy Ball, too, Misdreavus!"

Just as Reuniclus was about to fire his attack, he suddenly found himself unable to attack. His energy was slowly depleting, before he could do anything about it. However, this did not stop him from attacking his opponent. Both Reuniclus released their attack, once again causing a thick cloud of smoke to cover the battling field. Once clear, Reuniclus was seen floating glassy-eyed in the water, completely unconscious after hearing Perish Song. Misdreavus also fainted, but remained on her platform to keep dry. The pictures of the two Pokémon faded away as the next, and final round was about to take place.

"Both Misdreavus and Reuniclus are unable to battle!" Stark called out. "Victory goes to neither side for this round!"

"Reuniclus, return. It seemed my tactics were sub-standard there—our opponent is more quick-witted than I expected," Kabuto admitted, calling back the fainted Pokémon ruefully and looking over at his youthful foe.

"Don't you worry, Misdreavus," Sasuke recalled his ghost-type partner back into her ball. Peering over at Kabuto, he said, "We'll get them back for this round, and win the match."

Since the Pokémon did not destroy the battling field like last time, the final match was going to take place on the same field.

"Get ready and release your Pokémon in three…two…one!" Kakashi called out with a wave of the red and green colored flags.

"Beheeyem, it's time battle!"

"Oshawott, get out here!"

"It seems that Oshawott has made his second appearance today," Ayame announced to the crowd. "But does he have enough energy to fight off Beheeyem, who is a fresh fight, ready to battle?"

Seeing as Sasuke's already tired and low on energy Oshawott made an appearance for the second time, Kabuto had declared that this battle was going to be easy.

"Okay, Beheeyem!" he called. "Let's kick things off with Charge Beam!"

"Avoid it by jumping into the water!" Sasuke yelled almost immediately.

Oshawott did as he was told, and dove into the water. Here, he would lay low until given his next command.

"Well," Kabuto crossed his arms. "This is no fun. How are we supposed to fight unless we see our opponent?"

Sasuke smirked. _Heh…I just about ask the same exact question._ he thought, smugly.

The Uchiha boy was planning to have Oshawott attack from under Beheeyem's platform with Ice Beam. Once there, he would have Oshawott pull the extra-terrestrial Pokémon into the water, rendering him useless.

"Let me think…" Kabuto said placed his hands on his chin.

_Just what is he planning…?_ Sasuke glared at him. Clearly this silver-headed Raikou student was up to something.

"Oh, I know!" Kabuto suddenly announced, and Sasuke just stood there confused pretty badly.

Pointing to the very place that Oshawott had dove into, he said, "Beheeyem, use Psychic to part the water!"

"What…?" Sasuke watched as Beheeyem floated to the mid-section of the battling field. Here, the brown extra-terrestrial used his psychic powers to split the water in two separate sections.

Although, Oshawott was nowhere to be seen. Sasuke felt his nerves calm back down noticing Oshawott, who gave him a signal that he was alright out of the corner of his eyes.

"Hmm…" Kabuto frowned, seeing as his partner had not found Oshawott yet. However, a new plan came to his mind. "Empty the entire pool, Beheeyem! Lift the water above our heads!"

Not only did Beheeyem's eyes glow, but his entire body did as well as he lifted the entire body of water from the battling field. In the air, the water took the shape of an enormous blue colored orb. Without any water to swim in, Oshawott was sitting duck for any assault. Kabuto smirked evilly noticing this.

"Drop it," he commanded.

Beheeyem dropped his tiny arms to his sides, causing the floating water orb to instantaneously drop from the sky, and wash over the academy's entire coliseum. The people of the audience, Sasuke, and Ayame were soaked from head to toe from the water. The only person who had escaped the tidal wave was Kabuto, but only because of Beheeyem creating a psychic barrier around the two of them. Oshawott had also found a way to escape, by incasing his entire body in a barrier similar to that of Beheeyem. However, Oshawott's barricade was made entirely of ice. The small otter broke free from the icy barricade, ready for battle once more. Kabuto frowned again, while Sasuke himself was soaked, but relieved to see that Oshawott was fine.

"It's our turn now," Sasuke said. "Oshawott, use Focus Energy, and then follow it with Ice Beam!"

Knowing that Sasuke and Oshawott were going for a critical attack, he just stood there and watched as Oshawott's entire body flashed red with power, secretly planning to use this against the two of them.

"Quick Beheeyem!" The Raikou student called. "Psych Up! After that, use Charge Beam!"

Using his hypnotic powers, Beheeyem was able to copy Oshawott's status changes, meaning Beheeyem also had a chance of landing a critical hit as well. Oshawott fired his powerful Ice Beam attack at Beheeyem. Across the field, Beheeyem had also fired his Charge Beam attack. The attacks met in the middle eventually, with Oshawott slightly overpowering Beheeyem.

"More power!" Kabuto said to his partner. "We can't let them have such an easy victory!"

"Step your game up, Oshawott!" Sasuke shouted at his struggling partner. "All we have to do is win this match and we're in the next round!"

It was clear that Oshawott had virtually put his all into his Ice Beam attack, but Beheeyem was just too strong for him. Eventually, Oshawott lost control of his attack, and Charge Beam had hit him spot on, causing the small otter fly backwards into the water as thousands of electric volts were sent through his body. When Oshawott had risen back to the top, he could be seen floating on his back, swirly eyed, and completely out of energy. Sasuke recalled his most-trusted partner back, and then glance at Kabuto, who was speaking words of praise to his partner.

"Oshawott had put up a fight, but in the end, he was no match for Kabuto's Beheeyem!" Ayame said. "Who will Sasuke choose next for the final match?"

It wasn't long before Sasuke answered that question.

"Purrloin, get out here!" he tossed a Pokéball high in the air.

Knowing that dark types are immune to psychic attacks, Sasuke chose his Purrloin to finish this battle.

_A dark type, eh?_ Kabuto thought. "Beheeyem, attack with Charge Beam!"

Smirking, Sasuke simply said, "Use Fake Out!"

Dodging the beam of electricity, Purrloin appeared behind Beheeyem, and claps his paws together. Once there, a large shockwave of air was released, and sent the Beheeyem flying backwards back.

"Now, use Shadow Ball!" Sasuke shouted from his trainer's box.

On Sasuke's command, Purrloin created a medium sized blob of dark aura, and fired it at Beheeyem. The blob collided with the alien-like creature before he landed on the platform, causing Kabuto frown at Sasuke.

"I see this isn't going do," Closing his eyes, Kabuto crossed his arms, and tried to come up with a new plan. Once his eyes were reopened, he snapped his fingers, indicating that he had come up with a solution.

The silver-headed teen pointed his finger at Purrloin. "Use Miracle Eye!"

Both Sasuke and Purrloin looked at Beheeyem. The alien creature held his arms out in front of his body, and at the same time, Purrloin's body began glowing. Now, Beheeyem could attack Purrloin with his psychic powers with any problem.

"Stay calm, Purrloin," Sasuke called out his partner. "Try using Pursuit!"

With a simple wave of his blade-like tail, Purrloin was able to fire multiple waves of transparent crescent-shaped energy at Beheeyem.

"Hurry and use Psychic!" Kabuto shouted at quickly as he could.

Before the waves of energy could hit him, Beheeyem countered the attack by sending it back at Purrloin. Although the attack didn't do much, Purrloin still took on a small amount of damage.

"Shake it off, and use Hone Claws Purrloin!" Sasuke said, and Purrloin found a tree trunk to sharpen his claws.

"Now, use Shadow Ball!" Sasuke had then shouted.

A glowing orb of dark energy appeared in front of Purrloin before being fired at Beheeyem.

"Use Psychic again!" Kabuto retaliated, and Sasuke smirked.

"Follow it up with Pursuit!" he called out quickly.

After releasing Shadow Ball, Purrloin appeared behind Beheeyem, and attacked with Pursuit. With his back already turned, Beheeyem hadn't expected Purrloin to attack from behind, nearly catching him off guard.

"Keep it up, Purrloin!" Sasuke called out.

Multiple translucent waves pelted Beheeyem's psychic barricade, and eventually broke through. It was here that Purrloin attacked with Shadow Ball, causing Beheeyem to reel backwards, and Kabuto to frown. Now, he'd have to switch up his tactics.

"Okay, try using Psychic on the platform!" Kabuto said, and Beheeyem used his psychic powers to create a large geyser to lifted Purrloin's platform high into the air.

Purrloin himself was clinging to the circular dais for his life. The last thing he'd want was for Beheeyem to drop him into the water. From his trainer's box, all Sasuke could do was watch—nothing had prepared him for this.

"Now release Psychic, and attack with Charge Beam!" Kabuto commanded.

Beheeyem released the stream of water, and placed his hands in front of his body, creating a beam of electrical energy, which was then fired at Purrloin.

"Counter with Pursuit!" Sasuke yelled quickly.

Before the attacks could collide, the watery geyser in the middle of the battling field deflected them. As a result, neither Beheeyem, nor Purrloin was harmed. As Purrloin landed safely onto one the platforms, Sasuke smirked-this is what he had been waiting for, a loop-hole. The young Uchiha's was suddenly swimming in new tactics, such as using the geyser to his advantage. However, he needed to stall for time until the water spout erupted once more. Purrloin's health was fairly high, Sasuke figured, so this plan should work.

"Okay Purrloin," Sasuke got ready to call out his next command. "I'm going to need for you to distract Beheeyem for a while."

Purrloin nodded, and attacked Beheeyem with Shadow Ball. As Purrloin fired one Shadow Ball, he would jump from one platform to another to keep Beheeyem in pursuit. Kabuto growled. Just what was Sasuke planning?

_Whatever it is, Beheeyem is not going to fall for it,_ Kabuto thought, and then he yelled, "Beheeyem, stay right where you are!"

Sasuke smirked. _Now I've got you,_

Sasuke had been waiting for the stage's geyser to erupt again. As soon as it did, Sasuke shouted out his command.

"Now, Purrloin! Attack with Shadow Ball!" he ordered, and Purrloin fired an orb of pure darkness at Beheeyem.

The orb towards Beheeyem, who got ready to deflect the attack with a barrier. However, before Beheeyem could do so, the geyser ended up blocking the extra-terrestrial Pokémon's vision of the orb. Figuring that the orb had been deflected, Beheeyem dropped his guard. From the other side, Purrloin hurled his attacks at Beeheeyem, who was knocked into the pool of water.

Kabuto gasped. "Hurry Beheeyem! Use Charge Beam!"

As Purrloin went to attack with Pursuit, Beheeyem fired his Charge Beam, causing a small explosion. However, as the psychic Pokémon stumbled out of the dust-cloud looking triumphant, Purrloin struck back with a powerful Shadow Ball that hammered Beheyeem incredibly hard. Beheeyem braced himself against the ground with his arms, trying to keep himself upright, but they quickly gave way and his eyes rolled as he slipped into unconsciousness.

"Beheeyem is unable to battle!" Kakashi raised the red flag. "Victory goes to Sasuke and Purrloin!"

Sasuke wasn't too concerned about recieving praise from the crowd. Instead, he recalled Purrloin to his ball, and then headed towards the school's Pokémon Center. While he waited, Sasuke sat down, and read through the new entries of his Pokédex. That is until a small pop-up appeared with the phrase **"Pok****é****mon has been scanned!"** in bold letters. The new entry read as such;

_Sableye- The Darkness Pok__é__mon_

_It hides in the darkness of caves. Its diet of gems has transformed its eyes into gemstones. _

Sasuke looked up from his handy device; there weren't any Sableye to be found, however, the signal seemed to be coming from a group of elderly men and woman wearing different robes. The group of men made their way towards Sasuke, and the first to speak was the one wearing a maroon colored robe.

"You must be the trainer we've heard so much about," he said. "Uchiha Sasuke if I'm mistaken."

The next to speak was a woman, and she wore a sapphire robe. "Surely this must be joke," she said. "He's just a child."

"I agree," Another man spoke. His robe was emerald green. "However, I can sense power deep within him."

"Right," The man wearing the maroon robe spoke again, only this time, his stare hardened. "So, Sasuke...are you ready to take the challenge of The Seven Sages?"

Sasuke wanted to resist the urge to battle, but just couldn't. He getting ready to reach for a Pokéball when he realized that his team was currently being checked out by Nurse Shizune. As fate would have it, Shizune returned within the next few seconds with a tray of Pokéballs.

"Here you are," she said sweetly, as Sasuke pocketed them. "Your team's has been entirely restored."

Giving Shizune a nod of appreciation, Sasuke turned to face the Sages and said, "Sure. I'll take on your challenge." as he reached for Oshawott's ball.

The man smiled slightly, crossing his arms. "If that is what you wish, then I, Zinzolin of Sages shall be your first opponent!"

~ Updated Bios ~

**Name: **Namikaze Naruto.

**Age: **12

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Hometown**: Jubilife City of Sinnoh.

**Appearance: **Naruto has spiky blond hair, tan skin and clear blue eyes.

**Clothing/Accessories:** A black shirt with an orange picture of a Pokéball on the front, over it he wears an orange blazer. He also wears a pair of tan trousers, and orange sneakers.

**History: **Naruto is a caring trainer who is always up for a battle—although, he asks his Pokémon if they are ready as well before battling. He's the son of the Unova Champion, and along with his childhood friends Kiba and Sakura, Naruto plans to travel to White Academy, and then take on the entire Unova challenge.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red

**Family: **Namikaze Minato (father), Namikaze Kushina (mother), and Namikaze Yomi (sister).

**Accomplishments: **0/8 Badges.

**Love Interest: **Naruto has seemed to have taken interest in Tenshi Hana.

**Battle Cry: **(Pokémon Name), come on out!

**Pok****é****mon That Stays Out Of His or Her Ball: **Zorua.

**Favorite Attributes/Elements: **Naruto prefers partners who are loyal and listens to him in battle. Elements don't really concern him.

**Pok****é****mon:**

**Name:** Zorua  
><strong>Type:<strong> Dark**Gender:** Female  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Illusion  
><strong>History:<strong> Zorua is a curious hatchling who loves to play with other Pokémon. Upon his arrival at White Academy, Zorua hatched after Naruto met the history teacher, Orochimaru, who told him it was about do so. Since then, Zorua has been by Naruto's side learning from her older teammates, and assisting the blond trainer whenever she can. Zorua is also friends with Chris's hatchling Axew.

**Moves: **Leer, Hone Claws, Shadow Ball, and Dark Pulse.

**Name:** Gengar  
><strong>Type:<strong> Ghost/Poison  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Levitation  
><strong>History:<strong> Naruto first met Gengar in the deepest part of White Academy forest as a friendly Haunter. After earning his spot on his team, Haunter became a problem for Naruto, by growing too powerful for him to handle. During his battle with Tayuya, Haunter evolved into Gengar, who acts like nothing more than a spoiled brat. However, Naruto has solved this problem by using the Sooth Bell he had received from a Raikou student named Okibi. Gengar absolutely hates the sound of the bell, and is willing to do anything to escape from it.

**Moves: **Fire Punch, Toxic, Sludge Bomb, and Double Team.

**Name:** Pansage  
><strong>Type:<strong> Grass  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Gluttony  
><strong>History:<strong> Pansage was one of first three Pokémon Naruto had caught within a massive outbreak back in Sinnoh. He loves to eat berries, especially Oran and Pecha, and he looks at Tepig as his brother, despite their species.

**Moves: **Energy Ball, Leech Seed, Bite, and Leer.

**Name:** Tepig  
><strong>Type:<strong> Fire  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Thick Fat  
><strong>History:<strong> Tepig was Naruto's first Pokémon. He's a jolly little piglet who defends the others from Gengar whenever he tries to bully them, treats Pansage as his brother, and sees Gengar as his rival.

**Moves: **Flame Charge, Defense Curl, Tackle, and Growl.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>Haruno Sakura.

**Age: **12

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Hometown**: Sandgem Town of Sinnoh.

**Appearance: **Long pink hair down her back, emerald eyes, and porcelain skin

**Clothing/Accessories: **A red skirt with a pair of green tights underneath it, a red bandana, and red trainers with green laces. During the tournament, Sakura wears a white robe with short and silky pink sleeves, a matching white belt with a gold buckle, a pair of carnation pink shorts, red knee length boots, red fingerless gloves, and gold hoop earrings.

**History: **Sakura is a trainer who is interested about the new species of Unova. She constantly carries around her Pokédex in order to obtain information for her parents back home. Since both of her parents are professors, she has inherited their curiosity of studying rare Pokémon. Wherever she goes, Sakura always has her carnation-pink Pokédex handy, and ready to scan any Pokémon. The pinkett's current dream is to become a famous coordinator with her team. However, with opponents like Blaze standing in her way, things may get a little complicated...

**Dormitory: **Entei Red.

**Family: **Haruno Mitzy (mother), Haruno Rector (brother), and Haruno Hiroyuki (father).

**Accomplishments: **0/5 Ribbons, and contest battle contestant who has entered the second round of the competition.

**Love Interest: **Sasuke seems rather interested in the pinkett much to her annoyance.

**Battle Cry: **(Pokémon Name), it's show time!

**Pok****é****mon That Stays Out Of His or Her Ball: **Skitty.

**Favorite Attributes/Elements: **Sakura doesn't necessarily have a favorite type; however, she prefers to raise Pokémon who are capable of winning contests for their toughness and can look beautiful while doing so.

**Pok****é****mon:**

**Name:** Skitty  
><strong>Type:<strong> Normal  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Female  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Wonder Skin  
><strong>History:<strong> Skitty is a playful cat-Pokémon who enjoys both Contests and Contest Battles. Skitty was also Sakura's first Pokémon, and the two of them share a deep bond.

**Moves: **Shock Wave, Attract, Assist, and Hidden Power.

**Name:** Herdier  
><strong>Type:<strong> Normal  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Intimidation  
><strong>History:<strong> Since he was Lillipup, Herdier has always been eager to battle. Herdier also cares deeply for Sakura, and will do anything to protect her and his teammates from harm.

**Moves: **Crunch, Roar, Dig, and Work Up.

**Name:** Teddiursa  
><strong>Type:<strong> Normal  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Quick Feet  
><strong>History:<strong> Teddiursa is the newest addition to team Haruno. Constantly searching for Honey, berries, or even the Poffins Sakura makes for the team, Teddiursa rather spend his down time eating rather than battling. Sweet and Bitter Poffins are his favorite.

**Moves: **Sweet Scent, Aerial Ace, Shadow Claw, and Fake Tears.

**Name:** Munna  
><strong>Type:<strong> Psychic  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Female  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Telepathy  
><strong>History:<strong> Munna is generally a caring and sweet Pokémon, who is always looking out for her teammates. Munna believes that everyone should experience sweet dreams, and often visits the dreams of Sakura and her teammates to check on them.

**Moves: **Psywave, Hypnosis, Moonlight, and Nightmare.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>Inuzuka Kiba.

**Age:** 12

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Hometown: **Jubilife City of Sinnoh.

**Appearance: **Kiba has messy brown hair, black eyes, and tan skin.

**Clothing/Accessories: **Kiba wears a navy blue and black hooded shirt with matching black shorts, and skater shoes.

**History: **Kiba is a headstrong, but loving trainer to his Pokémon, and his parents have been separated since he was young. While his mother runs a special day care for Pokémon, Kiba's father is the Tycoon of the Sinnoh Battling Tower. After he graduates from the academy and strengthen up his team by traveling Unova with Sakura and Naruto, Kiba plans to make it to the top of the tower, and battle his father with of course, Akamaru by his side.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red.

**Family: **Inuzuka Hana (sister), Inuzuka Okami (father), and Inuzuka Tsume (mother).

**Accomplishments: **0/8 Badges.

**Love Interest: **After accidently getting a letter meant for another student, Kiba has developed a crush on a Suicune student name Iris Rose.

**Battle Cry: **Let's go(Pokémon Name)!

**Pok****é****mon That Stays Out Of His or Her Ball: **Akamaru.

**Favorite Attributes/Elements: **Kiba prefers Pokémon who are tough, as well as fast.

**Pok****é****mon:**

**Name:** Akamaru (Poochyena)  
><strong>Type:<strong> Dark  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Quick Feet  
><strong>History:<strong> Akamaru shares a deep bond with Kiba, often getting him out of situations. Kiba received Akamaru from his parents as a birthday gift, and has shared a special bond with Kiba since then. Akamaru's parents are a male Arcanine named Kami and belongs to Kiba's mother, and a female Mightyena named Celty, who belongs to Kiba's father.

**Moves: **Bite, Howl, Incinerate, and Dig.

**Name:** Mitsuo (Eevee)  
><strong>Type:<strong> Normal  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Adaptability  
><strong>History:<strong> Eevee is almost as reckless and eager to battle as Kiba. His spunky personality will have an impact on his evolution later within the story.

**Moves: **Bite, Iron Tail, Sand Attack, and Work Up.

**Name:** Thor (Zebstrika)  
><strong>Type:<strong> Electric  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Sap Sipper  
><strong>History:<strong> Zebstrika is easily identified as Kiba's strongest partner. With his short temper, and powerful Thunder attack, Kiba shouldn't have any problem battling against his father.

**Moves: **Flame Charge, Thunder, Flash, and Charge.

**Name:** Ukki Chan (Aipom)  
><strong>Type:<strong> Normal  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Skill Swap  
><strong>History:<strong> Aipom is a playful monkey-like Pokémon who met Kiba by stealing his TMs one sunny afternoon. However, Kiba caught Bronzor instead, and ended up trading it for Aipom.

**Moves: **Rain Dance, Nasty Plot, Brick Break, and Acrobatics.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>Uchiha Sasuke.

**Age: **12

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Hometown:** Jubilife City of Sinnoh.

**Appearance: **Everyone knows Sasuke because of his signature onyx eyes. He also has pale skin, and dark spiky hair.

**Clothing/Accessories: **Sasuke wears a white shirt with a navy blue blazer over it, a pair of matching sneakers, and a pair of black jeans.

**History: **Sasuke is a hard-working and quiet trainer who tends to train daily with his parents own the Pokétch Company in Jubilife City, and his brother Itachi is a member of the Elite Four in Sinnoh. Instead of attending the head-start program with the others, Sasuke was home-schooled by a hired tutor from Kanto. After he graduates from the academy, Sasuke plans to enter the Unova League as a warm-up, and then the Sinnoh League to take down his brother.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red.

**Family: **Uchiha Itachi (brother), Uchiha Fugaku (father), and Uchiha Mikoto (mother).

**Accomplishments: **0/16 Badges.

**Love Interest: **Currently, Karin proclaims Sasuke as her boyfriend after he saves her from a wild and very aggressive Scyther. However, Sasuke seems to have taken a liking in Sakura.

**Battle Cry: **(Pokémon Name), get out here!

**Pok****é****mon That Stays Out Of His or Her Ball: **Misdreavus.

**Favorite Attributes/Elements: **Sasuke prefers a team of Pokémon who are powerful, and capable of learning powerful moves during their youngest evolutionary stage.

**Pok****é****mon:**

**Name:** Oshawott  
><strong>Type:<strong> Water  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Torrent  
><strong>History:<strong> Oshawott was given to Sasuke from his parents for his tenth birthday, and has been with him ever since. Oshawott also serves as Naruto's alarm clock whenever the blond trainer oversleeps.

**Moves: **Scald, Revenge, Ice Beam, and Focus Energy.

**Name:** Purrloin  
><strong>Type:<strong> Dark  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Limber  
><strong>History:<strong> In order to qualify for White Academy, Sasuke set out in search for two new partners with Oshawott. Purrloin just so happened to be his first Pokémon officially caught with a Dusk Ball. Purrloin trusts Sasuke very much, and acts very snobbish towards other Pokémon.

**Moves: **Hone Claws, Fake Out, Shadow Ball, and Pursuit.

**Name:** Misdreavus  
><strong>Type:<strong> Ghost  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Female  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Levitation  
><strong>History:<strong> Misdreavus is the newest member of team Uchiha. She is a highly curious and sweet ghost Pokémon who loves to meet others. Misdreavus also has a habit of sneaking up on people and pulling their hair. However, when she pulls Sasuke's hair, it is out of affection.

**Moves: **Power Gem, Energy Ball, Perish Song, and Mean Look.

**Name:** Golbat  
><strong>Type:<strong> Poison/Flying  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Infiltrator  
><strong>History:<strong> As Zubat, Sasuke caught Golbat in order to qualify for the academy exams. Golbat is a quiet Pokémon, who loves dark places to take naps. Often, Golbat hangs from the frame of Sasuke's bunk bed to keep an eye on him.

**Moves: **Bite, Supersonic, Poison Fang, and Mean Look.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>Perma-Frost.

**Age: **12

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Hometown: **Black City of Unova.

**Appearance: **About as tall as Naruto when it comes to height. Frost gets his name from the elemental type he chose to train, and his frosty hair color. Frost also has pale skin, and his eyes are yellow.

**Clothing/Accessories: **If not in his school uniform, Frost usually wears a black t-shirt, black sneakers, and a pair of white jeans.

**History: **Frost tends to be a quiet, yet aggressive battler. Frost is also the younger sibling of three. After he graduates, Frost plans to compete in every region for the title of "World's Best Trainer". In order to do that, he'll have to learn a thing or two from our heroes.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red.

**Family: **Blazing Inferno (sister), Thorn Rose (brother), and Orochimaru (father)

**Accomplishments: **0/40 Badges.

**Love Interest: **Apparently, Frost has sort of a small crush on Tenshi Hana, and gave her a rose before she participated in her first battle of the tournament.

**Battle Cry: **(Pokémon Name), on stage!

**Pok****é****mon That Stays Out Of His or Her Ball: **Glaceon.

**Favorite Attributes/Elements: **Frost prefers a team of Pokémon who are capable of using ice type moves such Ice Beam, Icy Wind, and Blizzard.

**Pok****é****mon:**

**Name:** Glaceon  
><strong>Type:<strong> Ice  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Female  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Ice Body  
><strong>History:<strong> As an Eevee, Frost has trained with his Glaceon since he was ten years old. During a visit to his grandmother's, who lives in Snowpoint of Sinnoh, Eevee evolved while she and Frost were exploring the snowy region. Since then, Frost has wanted to train Ice types along with his Glaceon.

**Moves: **Water Pulse, Attract, Icy Wind, and Hail.

**Name:** Cubchoo  
><strong>Type:<strong> Ice  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Snow Cloak  
><strong>History:<strong> Frost was gift from his grandfather, Oroichi. Cubchoo is a rather shy and quiet creature who spends most of his time napping in places with the air conditioning set to its highest setting. His favorite treats are ice cream and frozen yogurt.

**Moves: **Shadow Claw, Charm, Hail, and Ice Beam.

**Name:** Dusclops  
><strong>Type:<strong> Ghost  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Pressure  
><strong>History:<strong> As Duskull, Dusclops once had a trainer who resembled Frost over one hundred years ago named Platinum. After his trainer left home, Duskull, along with Misdreavus, and Haunter remained in the forest behind the school where a large mansion once stood, waiting for their trainers return. That is, until Naruto, Sasuke, and Frost came along. Now, Duskull, as Dusclops, remains at Frost's side just as happy as ever.

**Moves: **Ice Beam, Shadow Sneak, Brick Break, and Confuse Ray.

**Name:** Spheal  
><strong>Type:<strong> Ice/Water  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Thick Fat  
><strong>History:<strong> Frost was exploring the beach during the winter, when he spotted a bunch of Spheal rolling around on the ice. Trying to take a closer look, Frost walked onto the frozen lake, and as anticipated, he fell into the freezing water. Frost was then rescued by Thorn, Blaze, and even the baby Spheal he tried to capture. After warming up for a while, Frost had then returned to the beach where battled and captured Spheal successfully.

**Moves: **Mist, Water Pulse, Body Slam, and Ice Beam.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>Blazing Inferno.

**Age: **13

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Hometown:** Black City of Unova.

**Appearance: **Blaze stands at an average height for her age. She has long red hair, which hangs down her back, pale skin, and yellow eyes.

**Clothing/Accessories: **Blaze wears a red t-shirt, a pair of black skinny jeans, and a pair of sandals.

**History: **Blaze is a rather bossy preteen who likes to pick at those a year younger than is a contest enthusiast from Unova. For years, Blaze watched her idol, Konan, who became a member of the Elite Four, on television. Even though Konan wasn't a coordinator, it was her elegant battling style that inspired Blaze to take up contests, and show off her team like never before.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red.

**Family: **Frost (brother), Thorn (brother), and Orochimaru (father).

**Accomplishments: **0/5 Ribbons.

**Love Interest: **None.

**Battle Cry: **(Pokémon Name), battle dance!

**Pok****é****mon That Stays Out Of His or Her Ball: **Pignite.

**Favorite Attributes/Elements: **Blaze, as her name states loves to battle with fire types.

**Pok****é****mon:**

**Name:** Pignite  
><strong>Type:<strong> Fire/Fighting  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Blaze  
><strong>History:<strong> As Tepig, Pignite was Blaze's first Pokémon. Figuring that he would jump start her career as a trainer/coordinator, Blaze trained her young Tepig hard, toughening him up for contests battles. Eventually, their training paid off, and as a result, Tepig evolved into what is now Pignite. Pignite trusts Blaze very much, and shares a special bond with her.

**Moves: **Work Up, Bulldoze, Brick Break, and Flame Charge.

**Name:** Heatmor  
><strong>Type:<strong> Fire  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> White Smoke  
><strong>History:<strong> Heatmor is a strong battler with a short temper much like his trainer. Heatmor's favorite pastime is bathing in a secret hot spring that only he, Blaze, and his teammates know about.

**Moves: **Hone Claws, Flame Burst, Fire Spin, and Shadow Claw.

**Name:** Pansear  
><strong>Type:<strong> Fire  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Blaze  
><strong>History:<strong> Much around the same time Thorn had acquired his Leavanny, Blaze caught her Pansear. Pansear, as usual, was taking a nap in a tree when Blaze spotted him. Blaze had then sent out her Pignite to battle the fire-type simian. Pansear did not plan of getting caught, so the little red monkey put a battle, nearly burning the entire forest down. After doing so, Blaze was able to catch Pansear with a Timer Ball.

**Moves: **Double Team, Flame Burst, Acrobatics, and Will-o-wisp.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>Thorn 'Grandpa' Rose.

**Age: **17

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Hometown: **Black City of Unova.

**Appearance: **Thorn is a very tall teenaged boy with spiky green hair, pale skin, and yellow eyes.

**Clothing/Accessories: **Thorn is usually seen in his school uniform. But on weekends, Thorn wears a long sleeve dress shirt with a short navy blue vest over it, a pair of black trousers, and matching trainers.

**History: **Thorn is mild mannered and caring started training his Pokémon at the age of twelve like most trainers. Thorn's dream is to one day become a member of the Elite Four, and to become a master of grass type Pokémon. Although grass types do have quite a few weaknesses, Thorn's biggest mission is to create a sturdy team of grass type Pokémon with moves and abilities that make them more a threat than they seem.

**Dormitory: **Suicune Blue.

**Family: **Frost (brother), Blaze (sister), and Orochimaru (father).

**Accomplishments: **Ranked as number 5 of the academy's top 10 battlers.

**Love Interest: **None.

**Battle Cry: **(Pokémon Name), I need your assistance!

**Pok****é****mon That Stays Out Of His or Her Ball: **Serperior and occasionally King Odin.

**Favorite Attributes/Elements: **Thorn is currently training a team of sturdy grass types.

**Pok****é****mon:**

**Name:** Serperior  
><strong>Type:<strong> Grass  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Female  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Overgrow  
><strong>History:<strong> Serperior is the leader of Thorn's team, and acts as such. She is quiet and powerful snake creature who has been with Thorn since his twelfth birthday, and shares a special bond with him. Serperior has also laid two eggs, both of which will hatch into her children.

**Moves: **Safeguard, Dragon Tail, Giga Impact, and Coil.

**Name:** Sawsbuck  
><strong>Type:<strong> Normal/Grass  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Serene Grace  
><strong>History:<strong> Thorn Captured his second partner, Deerling, during the spring just before he entered the academy for the first time. Deerling, now a Sawsbuck, is the peace keeper of the team, but a powerful battler when provoked.

**Moves: **Aromatherapy, Energy Ball, Wild Charge, and Jump Kick.

**Name:** Leavanny  
><strong>Type:<strong> Bug/Grass  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Overcoat  
><strong>History:<strong> Leavanny is a nice and caring Pokémon from Unova. Before joining Thorn on his journey, Leavanny was a prince in a colony of his own species. Rather than running an entire kingdom, Leavanny wanted to meet and see other Pokémon around the world. His wish was granted the day Thorn caught him.

**Moves: **Hone Claws, Grass Knot, X-Scissors, and Hidden Power.

**Name:** Roserade  
><strong>Type:<strong> Poison/Grass  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Female  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Poison Point  
><strong>History:<strong> Roserade is a sweet and emotional Pokémon from Eterna Forest. Roserade enjoys dancing, and teaches others to do so during days that her and the team aren't training.

**Moves: **Toxic, Venoshock, Energy Ball, and Shadow Ball.

**Name:** Abomasnow  
><strong>Type:<strong> Ice/Grass  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Snow Warning  
><strong>History:<strong> When Thorn and his siblings were visiting their grandmother; she told them the legend of the Abominable Snow man. Curious, Thorn set out on a small journey to prove if the legend was true or not. As it turns out, the legend was true, and nearly had gotten frozen in the process. In a cave just north from his grandmother's house, Thorn was nursed back to health by a group of Snover and their leader Abomasnow. Thankful, Thorn asked Abomasnow, who agreed, to join his team.

**Moves: **Blizzard, Earthquake, GrassWhistle, and Brick Break.

**Name:** King Odin (Venusaur)  
><strong>Type:<strong> Poison/Grass  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Overgrow  
><strong>History:<strong> Rather than Thorn catching him, Odin chose to join his team. The reason being Odin had fallen in love with Serperior. Now, Odin is a soon to be father, and the newest member of team Rose.

**Moves: **Toxic, Earthquake, Venoshock, and Solarbeam.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>Rock Lee.

**Age: **13

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Hometown: **Stark Mountain of Sinnoh.

**Appearance: **Lee has peach colored skin, black eyes, and black hair styled into a bowl cut.

**Clothing/Accessories: **Lee wears a sleeveless shirt with a picture of a green Pokéball on the front, a pair martial arts pants, and flat martial art shoes.

**History: **Lee has lived and trained with his grandparents in their Pokémon Dojo since he was small. After learning about the academy in Unova, Lee set off on a journey to better his team by battling others at White Academy, and by traveling from region to region. His dream is to one day open a fitness resort where all trainers can train and relax along with their Pokémon all day.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red, going on Raikou Yellow.

**Family: **Tao Lee (grandfather) and Anna Lee (grandmother).

**Accomplishments: **0/40 Badges.

**Love Interest: **

**Battle Cry: **(Pokémon Name), let's show them what you can do!

**Pok****é****mon That Stays Out Of His or Her Ball: **Raichu

**Favorite Attributes/Elements: **Lee prefers Pokémon in which he spare with, and teach martial art moves.

**Pok****é****mon:**

**Name:** Raichu  
><strong>Type:<strong> Electric  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Female  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Lighting rod  
><strong>History:<strong> During his training at the mountain's peak, Lee found an injured Pichu. Lee took care of her cuts and bruises. Tomboyish and stubborn, Pichu wouldn't allow anyone to get hurt Lee or his grandparents. Pichu also trained under General Tao, and learned to use Mega Kick after years of training.

**Moves: **Charge Beam, Mega Kick, Double Team, Attract.

**Name:** Mienshao  
><strong>Type:<strong> Fighting  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Regenerator  
><strong>History:<strong> Mienshao was gift from Lee's grandfather. Unlike most trainers, Mienshao started training with Lee at the age of nine, and became a sparring partner for him. Since then, the two of them have been inseparable, and share a close bond.

**Moves: **Acrobatics, Work Up, Force Palm, and Poison Jab.

**Name:** Riolu  
><strong>Type:<strong> Fighting  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Inner Focus

**History:** Riolu is the son of a female Lucario named Guan-yin and male Blaziken named Baojia, who also belong to Lee's grandmother. Riolu's biggest mission is to make his parents proud by coming back from the academy with Lee as a powerful fighter.

**Moves: **Brick Break, Bulk Up, Retaliate, Double Team.

**Name:** Scraggy  
><strong>Type:<strong> Dark/Fighting  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Moxie  
><strong>History:<strong> During a training session with his team, Lee discovered a poor Scraggy being bullied by other Pokémon. So, like any other kind trainer, Lee and his team defended the little guy, and won his trust by doing so. Scraggy tends to be embarrassed if his skin falls down, but Lee has found a solution for that: a belt.

**Moves: **Payback, Dragon Claw, Scary Face, Hi Jump Kick.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>TenTen

**Age: **13

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Hometown**: Zendaya (mother).

**Appearance: **TenTen has dark brown hair and eyes. Her skin is a light peachy color, and her hair is styled into two buns.

**Clothing/Accessories: **Her outfit consisted of a pink tank top, black shorts, a pair of black high-top sneakers with multicolored polka-dots, and a matching wrist band.

**History: **TenTen has lived in Lilycove since she was small, and has watched her mother compete in against the all-time masters of contest battling, and performance. At the age of twelve, TenTen, like many other beginning trainers received her first Pokémon, and an invitation to White Academy. Once she graduates and returns home, TenTen plans to travel the Hoenn region earning not just ribbons, but badges as well to strengthen her team.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red going on Raikou Yellow.

**Family: **

**Accomplishments: **0/8 Badges and 0/5 Ribbons.

**Love Interest: **TenTen has had a small crush on Hinata's cousin, Neji for quite some time. Figuring that a Raikou student wouldn't pay her any attention, TenTen vowed to become a Raikou student before even making herself noticeable to Neji.

**Battle Cry: **(Pokémon Name), it's time to shine!

**Pok****é****mon That Stays Out Of His or Her Ball: **

**Favorite Attributes/Elements: **TenTen prefers Pokémon who can battle, and look elegant while doing so.

**Pok****é****mon:**

**Name:** Ducklett  
><strong>Type:<strong> Water/Flying  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Female  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Hydration  
><strong>History:<strong> TenTen's mother owns both a Swanna and a Golduck, who brought a group of hatchlings into the world. It just so happens that Ducklett hatched from one of those five eggs, and became TenTen's first partner.

**Moves: **Aerial Ace, Aqua Ring, Water Pulse, and Tailwind.

**Name:** Sigilyph  
><strong>Type:<strong> Psychic/Flying  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Magic Guard  
><strong>History:<strong> Sigilyph acts as TenTen's guardian. The two of them met while TenTen and her mother were visiting the dessert ruins of Unova, where a group of Sigilyph attacked the tourists for being too close to their nests. With her Ducklett, TenTen challenged the lead Sigilyph to a battle, and eventually won. He's a strong fighter and helps TenTen whenever he can.

**Moves: **Psyshock, Calm Mind, Ice Beam, and Miracle Eye.

**Name:** Cottonee  
><strong>Type:<strong> Grass/Flying  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Chlorophyll  
><strong>History:<strong> During the spring, on windy days, Cottonee are said to float all over the academy grounds. It just so happens that this rumor is true. In fact, White Academy was infested with Cottonee, Mistress Tsunade ordered that the students should scare them off. On particular Cottonee planned to stick around, but was his plans were cut short by TenTen and her partners. From there, TenTen battled this tricky, yet aggressive Cottonee in a battle. Seeing as he was great battler, TenTen decided that the little guy should join her team.

**Moves: **Growth, Grass Knot, Gust, Safeguard.

* * *

><p><strong>Name: <strong>Hyuga Hinata/Hana Tenshi

**Age: **12

**Occupation:** Pokémon Trainer/Academy Student.

**Hometown**: Hinata is from Olivine City of Johto, and Tenshi is from Village Bridge in Unova.

**Appearance: **Hinata has navy blue hair, pale lavender eyes, and cream colored skin. Tenshi has long curly emerald green hair, and hazel nut colored eyes.

**Clothing/Accessories: **Hinata wears a pastel green t-shirt, blue skinny jeans, and a pair of black flats. Tenshi wears She wore a sapphire halter top, and over it she wore a silky thin strap white dress that stopped just above her knees, along with a pair of white Capri pants, gold hoop earrings, two golden bangles on each of her wrists, and a pair of flat matching trainers.

**History: **Hinata is a sweet and caring trainer, from Johto who can be a little too shy at times. However, as Tenshi Hana, Hinata is fearless and always ready to battle**. **Both Hinata and her cousin Neji come from a clan who raise and train exclusively steel type Pokémon. In order to decide who takes over the gym in Johto, the two of them must graduate from the academy, and then battle on Iron Island. The winner of course will become the new gym leader of Olivine.

**Dormitory: **Entei Red.

**Family: **Hyuga Neji (cousin), Hyuga Hanabi (sister), Hiashi Hyuga (father).

**Accomplishments: **Participant of the annual Battle Royal, and has currently made it to round two.

**Love Interest: **Hinata only has eyes for Naruto, who has fallen in love with her alter ego, Tenshi Hana.

**Battle Cry: **Let your heart tremble the earth,(Pokémon Name)!

**Pok****é****mon That Stays Out Of His or her Ball: **Shieldon.

**Favorite Attributes/Elements: **Hinata prefers elegant and sturdy steel type Pokémon.

**Pok****é****mon:**

**Name:** Shieldon  
><strong>Type:<strong> Rock/Steel  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Male  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Sturdy  
><strong>History:<strong> From the moment he hatched from an egg, Shieldon has always considered Hinata his parent. Although a little shy at first, Shieldon loves to meet new people and Pokémon. Usually, Shieldon can be seen playing with Axew and Zorua.

**Moves:** Ancient Power, Iron Defense, Rock Polish, and Flamethrower.

**Name:** Steelix  
><strong>Type:<strong> Steel  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Female  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Sturdy  
><strong>History:<strong> Steelix is, and acts as the leader of Hinata's team. She is also a kind and caring Pokémon who was raised and trained by Hinata since she was an Onix.

**Moves:** Ice Fang, Dragon Tail, Flash Cannon, and Autotomize.

**Name:** Magneton  
><strong>Type:<strong> Electric/Steel  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Unknown  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Static  
><strong>History:<strong> Magneton is a very energetic Pokémon who loves to battle. Each of the Magnemite connected have but one dream: to become a Magnezone.

**Moves:** Screech, Discharge, Gyro Ball, and Light Screen.

**Name:** Bronzor  
><strong>Type:<strong> Psychic/Steel  
><strong>Gender:<strong> Unknown  
><strong>Ability:<strong> Heatproof  
><strong>History:<strong> Bronzor is the newest member of team Hyuga. It tends to be a quiet Pokémon who is always ready to battle on Hinata's command.

**Moves:** Psychic, Gyro Ball, Calm Mind, and Trick Room.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **And there you have it—another chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it. The next one may take a little longer, but not because of school work. I also have stories that need to be updated. Oh, and for those wondering about Eevee's nickname, it means "shining hero". That's an appropriate name for a future Jolteon don't you think? Kiba will explain his team's nicknames another chapter or so. Anyway, thanks for reading. ^^


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve:** The Council of Light Prophecy.

"Oshawott, get out here!"

"Drapion, you're up!"

Upon being called, both Pokémon materialized in front of their trainers, ready to battle. While Oshawott remained a pure water type Pokémon, Drapion on the other hand was a dual type creature, whose attributes were both dark and poison. Oshawott stared fiercely at the ogre scorpion before him. Even though his small, this little otter was not going to let up for once second.

"It's your move, boy," Zinzolin played with his beard. "The challenger always gets the first move at the beginning of the battle."

Sasuke smirked, wasting no time shouting out his command, "Oshawott kick things off by using Ice Beam!" he called.

Oshawott blasted a frosty crackle of energy towards Drapion, hoping to freeze the giant scorpion in place.

"Drapion, Protect!" Zinzolin parried, and the Ice Beam stopped short of its target, halted by a shimmering shield as Drapion focused on his target unblinkingly. "Now, Toxic Spikes!"

As the Ice Beam crackled into nothingness, Drapion swung his clawed arms, sending out a hail of poison-daubed shards that made any step dangerous as they landed all around Oshawott. Zinzolin smiled; now he had the advantage. Drapion was doing his job well so far.

"Oshawott, stay where you are! Use Ice Beam again!" Sasuke commanded, and again Drapion found a powerful frigid beam hurtling towards him.

"Drapion, dodge and use Swagger!" Zinzolin cried, and Drapion flattened himself to the floor, scuttling towards Oshawott as the Ice Beam whistled overhead.

As Oshawott stopped the attack, wondering what to do next, Drapion reared up in front of him, grinning evilly and gloating about his dodge, flaunting his own aggressive power. Oshawott snarled angrily, eager to punish the Poison Pokémon for his insolence, but suddenly, he found himself unable to think straight.

"Oshawott, keep going! Use your mind and get things together!" Sasuke encouraged, and reaching in within, Oshawott cleansed his mind of confusion.

"That's irritating," Zinzolin mumbled as Oshawott got ready for battle again. "Toxic will be saved for later, so a straight attack is the only option. Drapion, X-Scissor!"

Drapion roared and thundered towards his opponent, eager to get to grips with him and beat him into unconsciousness with his crossed, glowing arms.

"Dodge it! Then use Revenge!" Sasuke said immediately, and Drapion recoiled as Oshawott slammed into his chitinous stomach, his charge powered up by his own previous swaggering.

As Drapion collected himself, Oshawott landed perfectly in a battle stance, ready to take advantage of the foe's surprise.

"Now, use Ice Beam!" Sasuke called out.

Drapion screeched angrily and scuttled backwards as Oshawott took the chance to pound him with a direct Ice Beam, and he felt shards of ice collecting and growing in the gaps between his amour plates. Unless his temporary trainer had a plan, he'd find himself frozen in no time by the blistering beam.

"Drapion, Aerial Ace!" Zinzolin commanded, and Drapion charged into the heart of the Ice Beam, unerringly seeking out the otter Pokémon like a guided missile.

"Oshawott, Ice Beam at full power!" Sasuke cried, and immediately Drapion was being pounded by wind and chunks of ice, battered and beaten but unable to stop.

However, inches away from Oshawott he halted, and as the wind and snow cleared Zinzolin gasped; the Poison Pokémon was encased in a craggy lump of ice, completely frozen like a fly stuck in amber!

"Ha! Nice work, Oshawott!" Sasuke complimented, and Oshawott smiled happily and took the chance to rest for a couple of minutes.

"Drapion, break out of there with X-Scissor!" Zinzolin yelled, hoping the Pokémon could hear him, but there was no response.

"Break him out of there with a precision Revenge, Oshawott!" Ordered Sasuke, and there was a great shattering noise as the tiny otter impacted with the ice, destroying Drapion's prison and sending tiny shards of sparkling ice through the air, making the battle-field glitter for an amazing split second.

Drapion scuttled backwards, groaning and shivering, but he wasn't beaten just yet; Zinzolin knew he just had to get his second wind.

"Drapion, go in slowly, look for an opening, and hit her with an X-Scissor to be proud of," Zinzolin said, and Drapion straightened up, circling his foe and picking a spot as Oshawott stared back challengingly.

"If he's going to take it slow, we'll do the opposite! Attack with Revenge!" Sasuke ordered, and Drapion was once again taken by surprise as Oshawott's small body impacted with him with deceptive power.

However, as Oshawott began to retreat to a safe distance, the scorpion-like beast lumbered forwards drunkenly, scissoring his crossed arms outwards and hammering the surprised otter with a close-range X-Scissor at last. Whether it was skill or luck that made it a direct hit was open to debate, but Oshawott was down, and struggling to get up.

Zinzolin suddenly felt on top and in control again, and cried, "One last X-Scissor, to finish him off!"

"Hurry and dodge it!" Sasuke shouted, and Oshawott rolled aside from the powerful Bug type attack, which sent up a cloud of dust that concealed both battlers.

"X-Scissor/Ice Beam!" Sasuke and Zinzolin shouted together, and Oshawott was sent hurtling from the dust cloud as another X-Scissor found its mark.

However, as the dark and poison Pokémon stumbled out of the dust-cloud looking triumphant, Oshawott struck back with a powerful Ice Beam that hammered Drapion incredibly hard. The scorpion braced himself against the ground with his thick arms, trying to keep himself upright, but they quickly gave way and his eyes rolled as he slipped into unconsciousness.

"Drapion, come back. You did well, but I'm going to have words with the grunts about your X-Scissor training," Zinzolin grumbled to himself, recalling his Pokémon and slipping the capsual back into the sleeve of his robe.

Sasuke smirked in triumph as he noticed the ring of blue aura surrounding Oshawott. The black Pokétch on his wrist also beeped, noting him that Oshawott's level had increased from the battle. Another level or so, and Oshawott was sure to evolved.

The next sage to walk up was Raya, who wore the sapphire robe. She smiled at Sasuke sweetly, holding a Pokéball in her hand.

"Are you ready, child?" she asked.

Sasuke merely scoffed at the fact of being called a child. "As I'll ever be," he replied starting the battle.

"Purrloin, get out here!"

"Seviper, come forth!"

For this round, Sasuke chose Purrloin this time, whilst Raya has picked Seviper. Perhaps the sages had a certain preference for Poison Pokémon, or maybe Raya's just trying to be certain that Drapion's Toxic Spikes won't come back to haunt her should she attack Purrloin head-on. The two Pokémon squared off. Purrloin was amidst a bubbling field of poisonous spikes, but he was so small and agile he had avoided stepping on any and being poisoned just yet. Seviper was scrunched up like an accordion, waving his bladed tail with anticipation.

"Seviper, start ou wih Sunny Day!" Raya said straight away; firstly she wanted to power up Seviper's unexpected Flamethrower, and secondly she wanted to make sure it was ligh enough so Purrloin could be spotted.

Seviper spat out a small, glowing orb, like a miniature sun, which floated above the battle-field making it noticeably warmer and brighter outside.

"Get close to him Purrloin, and then use Fake Out!" Sasuke counter-commanded, and suddenly Purrloin dashed towards his opponent.

"Seviper, burn him with Flamethrower!" Raya said quickly; Purrloin's fast speed was definitely not a good thing.

Seviper breathed out a stream of fire, and rotated slowly on the spot, in hopes of blasting the small purple feline. Eventually, Purrloin had to rest, although he was looking confident as he sharpened his claws.

"Purrloin, dodge the Flamethrower and use Shadow Ball!" Sasuke shouted.

Purrloin darted away from Flamethrower with ease, rolling and ducking with amazing speed and agility before firing an orb of dark energy at Seviper, forcing the snake to reel backwards and lose his focus.

Sasuke smirked. "Now, use Pursuit!" he said.

"Seviper, fight it off with Flamethrower!" Raya said quickly; she had a plan in mind, but it would be difficult to pull off.

The invisible waves of energy and flames spat and hissed as they collided, vying for power, but the Sunny Day was doing its job and forcing Purrloin back slightly as each second passed.

"Dodge it!" Sasuke cried, and Purrloin was darting around again, moving so fast it was as if he was teleporting all over the place.

Seviper stopped his Flamethrower and waited for Purrloin to stay in one place, looking uneasy as the purple feline out maneuvered him.

"Seviper, Haze, and then Flamethrower!" Raya said, seeing a split-second chance; fog poured from Seviper's mouth, enveloping Purrloin and swathing half of the battle-field in thick dark mist.

As soon as his job was done, Seviper blasted jets of fire into the fog, hoping to hit Purrloin by accident and finally nail him with a solid blow.

"Purrloin, get out of there!" Sasuke ordered, his brow furrowed, but Purrloin didn't burst from the fog.

"OK, Seviper, I think that's enough," Raya said quietly, and Seviper allowed the fog to disperse and stopped his Flamethrowers so he could see whether Raya's tactic had paid off.

Purrloin was resting close by, but instead of leaping into the attack and catching Seviper unawares, he was pulling a poisoned spike from his foot, getting up and looking groggy and sickened.

"Ha! I knew not seeing where he was going would make him step on a spike, especially at the speed he was going!" Raya said triumphantly, and Seviper hissed happily.

"Purrloin, can you keep battling?" Sasuke asked with concern, seeing Purrloin swaying.

"Purrr..." Purrloin replied with determination, although his voice was hoarser and higher than usual.

"Good, then use Shadow Ball!" Seviper hissed with pain as a blob of darkness hit him, slamming up against his shimmering scales as Purrloin did his best to force him into surrender.

"Seviper, this is our chance! Giga Drain!" Raya said, catching Sasuke off-guard; how could it be their chance whilst they were being attacked?

Seviper beat back the next dark blob with bright-green crackling energy, buying himself some time and hoping to suck away Purrloin's remaning energy. The two attacks went back and forth, but Purrloin's Shadow Ball was gaining more ground each time, getting closer and closer with each passing second. However, out of the blue, Purrloin's attack faltered and stopped, and Purrloin himself staggered backwards, let out a pitiful hiss, and fainted. Sasuke was speechless, then he remembered the poison; Raya had just been delaying him until it could take effect.

"Purrloin, return. Don't worry, it was my fault you lost," he said, returning the unconscious Pokémon and feeling disturbed at his own lack of foresight.

"Seviper, well done. You played your part perfectly," Raya smiled, feeling more confident now that her elaborate tactic worked.

"As for you child," Raya said, earning a look from Sasuke. "I expected more from you."

As much as he wanted to deny it, Sasuke knew that Raya was right. He should have been more careful with his battling and watched for any status ailments thrown at his team. However, it didn't make a difference. Five of the sages remained, and that just enough to prove to them that he was a worthy trainer.

From his private quarters, Orochimaru watched the televised screen with much satisfaction. Why? His plan was slowly coming together. Before long, he'd fulfill his dream of reviving Zekrom and Reshiram. His grin only increased in size as he remembered the little 'experiment' that took place back twelve years into the past…

_A calm atmosphere settled on the peaceful region of Unova that evening as the school prepared for its annual tournament began. The amusement park in Nimbasa was beginning to shut down for the night, the museum curator at Nacrene was doing final checkups before locking up for the night, and even the bustling streets of Castelia were dying down to late night stragglers. However, within the underground walls of the old White Academy, a few of the occupants were preparing themselves for a very important mission. No one was more impatient and excited in anticipation than one man._

_Orochimaru strolled down the newly built marble hall. Given, the construction on the school was still ongoing, with the upper wing and some of the rooms left unfinished. His purposeful stride was not as glamorous or mighty as he would have liked, being surrounded by scaffolding and sawdust, but he knew in due time, the magnificent castle would be done, and he could strut down the halls as its king. The Council of Light's society was at its starting roots, nothing more than a seedling organization, but he knew someday, it will sprout into a grand and looming power, with him at the lead. This thought put a smirk onto his face. He flicked his tongue across his sharp canines and grinned to himself, continuing his stride down the hall, slick black hair slightly flaring behind him._

_He finally reached his destination, and walked through the giant golden arches into the only open-top room in the whole castle. There, six other people convened in a circle, all garbed in stately robes, unlike Orochimaru. They surrounded a floating pink and lavender creature. The creature bobbed up and down, and a curious pink, lucid mist emitting from its head. It appeared to be sleeping, although twitches of its eyes gave the impression that it was suffering from a treacherous nightmare. _

_At Orochimaru's entrance, all six of the older men and woman bowed their heads in respect. Orochimaru strode over to the group, but before he got a word out, a white-bearded sage, donned in a maroon robe, spoke first. "Good evening, Master. Thank you for coming."_

_Orochimaru nodded back in acknowledgement and replied, "Thank you Zinzolin. Please, tell me what you have for me," his eyes scanning over the creature, grand expectations glittering wickedly in his yellow eyes._

_Zinzolin, stoic in expression, cleared his throat. Although he was the oldest, white hair and moustache slightly gossamer, his voice came strong and clear, with absolute confidence in the words he spoke. _

_"The stars have aligned tonight, and it appears Musharna is ready to give us the information on the future we seek." He gestured to the floating creature, the sleeve of his ashen garment flicking out._

_Orochimaru grinned again, fangs glinting in the moonlight. His eyes greedily moved to the creature that was hovering in the center of the group. _

_A woman in royal purple robes, with her white hair in a neat bun, explained in a commanding voice, "It is as Zinzolin said. We will not have another chance like this after tonight. It is not every day we can decode such a complex dream, even with the abilities of Musharna."_

_Another man, who sported the most amount of hair of all the men, piped up energetically, "We must begin the ritual soon, your majesty. We are prepared to start anytime, Raya?" His snaky smile was evident, even though his thick gray beard, as he directed his attention to the man at his right._

_The woman in question pulled a miniscule bottle of swirling pink gas out of her sapphire robes. It emitted a soft pink mist glowed and she murmured in a smooth voice, "I have the Dream Mist right here, Ryoku." She seethes the statement, as if Ryoku had insulted her. _

_Ryoku gingerly handed the Dream Mist off to the last man, a gray-haired man dressed in the maroon attire. "You may start the ritual, Zinzolin," she said. _

_Zinzolin, as he was called, did not say a word as he took the bottle and stepped up to Musharna. The creature was twitching more now as Zinzolin uncorked the bottle, and the pink substance snaked out, finally free. It swirled around Musharna, and the creature stilled and slowly opened her eyes. The red eyes blinked at the sight of the six unfamiliar people._

_Then Musharna began to panic. She let out a high pitched yelp and started to float away. The six sages stepped back, not at all surprised, as Orochimaru stepped forward. He pulled a Dusk Ball from his robes and released the Cofagrigus that was residing within. A softly spoken command reached the Ghost Pokémon as his unleashed a Psychic on the floundering pink creature. The attack stopped the Musharna in her tracks, her red eyes shaking in terror and pain. The Psychic attack ceased, and the Musharna physically slumped, the Dream Mist still swirling around her, as if waiting to be accepted. Orochimaru smirked and took a step forward, addressing the suffering creature in front of him._

_"Musharna, Eater of Dreams, I have a request for you. Tell us who the heroes of legend will be reborn as, and no further harm will come to you," he said in a soft, yet dangerous voice._

_Poor Musharna had no clue what was happening, or even what the man was saying. His tongue was so violent and vulgar, and it stressed out the Drowsing Pokémon. When she backed away in response, whimpering, Orochimaru's temper flared up, and he waved his arm, signaling another painful Psychic attack. Musharna yelped out, and at that moment, the Dream Mist entered her mouth, and her eyes began to glow. Images started to form in the pink mist streaming from Musharna's head, and Orochimaru's angry expression turned into one of awe and excitement. The sages all took an eager step forward as well, not wanting to miss a second of the vision._

_Musharna was in a trance as the pink mist showed the vision the sages and Orochimaru had waited years to see. Blurred images of a black and a white Pokémon flashed through the mist, and as it began clearer, there were two other distinct figures showing: a blond haired boy at the side of a giant black dragon, and a dark haired boy at the foot of an equally enormous white dragon. Orochimaru did not pay any attention to the blond person, as all his focus was trained on the dark haired trainer shouting commands at the white dragon, whose tail had lit up in a flaming red light. _

_At that moment, the vision abruptly vanished, but Orochimaru had seen all that he needed to see. Musharna suddenly collapsed on the floor, unconscious, and Orochimaru loomed over it triumphantly..._

Orochimaru stared up at the stars, their shining light glinting off his gluttonous eyes, a wicked grin spreading across his face. Sasuke was just the sort of trainer he was looking for. He's strong, and confidant—everything a king should be. The snake eyed man watched as the sages continued to battle the young Uchiha.

_Perfect,_ a voice inside of his head said. _Now all we have to do is get him on our side, and our plans for domination can began._

Orochimaru stood up from his seat, and headed towards the school's Pokémon center where but one last battle was left between Sasuke's Oshawott, and Ryoku's Pidgeot was taking place in the forest just outside of it.

"Keep him within your sight, Oshawott!" Sasuke commanded, seeing as Pidgeot was going to be hard for Oshawott from the ground.

"Pidgeot, Wing Attack!" Ryoku ordered as quickly as he could, and with great effort Pidgeot opened his glowing wings, hurtling towards Oshawott and ready to pound him as hard as he could, no matter what the cost.

"Oshawott, fight him off with Revenge!" Sasuke said, seeing that Pidgeot was stronger than he expected, and soon a duel was breaking out; Oshawott's glowing body against two glowing wings, pounding each other relentlessly like the swords of battling fencers.

Pidgeot, however, was far quicker and more maneuverable than Oshawott, especially now that he had the otter within his reach, and was able to nail him with several harsh blows whilst suffering only grazes himself.

"Pidgeot, Fly!" Ryoku suddenly ordered, and Oshawott's attack lashed through thin air as Pidgeot rose upwards, then fell like a bullet, slamming him in the chest bodily and making the small otter beast stumble backwards, winded.

"Oshawott, use Ice Beam at full power!" Sasuke countered, and an enormous crackling stream of ice blasted from Oshawott's mouth, combining to make a beam of terrible power that threatened to knock Pidgeot out in one swift strike.

"Pidgeot, dodge it! Use Wing Attack when you can!" Ryoku said, troubled by Oshawott's power and resilience, but he was heartened to see that Pidgeot wasn't slacking a single bit, ducking and diving away from the assault and hitting Oshawott with his wings whenever he could.

Sasuke ground his teeth angrily; this wasn't how he had envisioned things at all. He needed to get a hit in, and fast, or he and Oshawott would get frustrated and throw the match away.

"Get out the way, Oshawott!" Pidgeot's glowing wings were suddenly stopping short of their mark, as Oshawott rolled out the way to safety.

The Flying Pokémon retreated slightly, seeing Wing Attack wasn't going to work, and looked to his master in askance.

"Pidgeot, we're going to need a strong blow to shatter to put an end to this battle. Use Brave Bird!" Ryoku said, and Pidgeot rose up in the air, spreading his wings as he was wreathed in light and fire, screeching loudly.

He plummeted towards Oshawott at frightening speed, uncaring of the damage he was sure to sustain, focused only on beating Oshawott.

"I know you have it in Oshawott, so use Ice Beam at full power once more!" Sasuke said, and Oshawott turned to face Pidgeot.

Pidgeot's speed and terrifying image had rendered him stunned, but losing this battle was not something he planned on doing.

Without dodging, Oshawott and blasted a enormous beam of ice towards Pidgeot, but the vengeful bird who was trying to slam into his target with incredible force.

"Go with the flow, Pidgeot! Build up your speed and smash him as hard as you can!" Ryoku gambled.

He knew it was probably foolish, but he trusted Pidgeot to pull it off. The only question was would he survive the Ice Beam assault as well as taking down Oshawott? Pidgeot's speed increased as he allowed a breeze to draw him in, and the Flying Pokémon angled himself perfectly, targeting Oshawott's chest and putting all the power he could into the dive. Oshawott fired his full on attack as Pidgeot hurtled towards him; all he had to do was keep his cool, and victory would be his...

The two Pokémon attacks with tremendous force, and there was a loud thud as smoke began to spread across the battling field. When the smoke cleared, the only difference between the prone fighters was that Oshawott was feebly stirring, doing his best to get back onto his feet for his trainer, whilst Pidgeot was frozen solid.

Sasuke smirked as he noticed the same blue aura surrounding Oshawott. Oshawott held up his glowing paws, and stared at them as his body began to feel numb all over.

"Osha...Oshawott...!" (So this is what evolution feels like...it...it tingles...!) he'd said to himself.

Before long, Oshawott's entire body began to glow, causing Sasuke to shield his eyes from the blinding light. When the light subsided, it had exposed a medium sized otter type creature with a similar face of Oshawott, a large, blue, fringed adornment, with scalchops around his waist, small black ears, a pointed crest at the back of its head, and a red nose shaped like oval and long white whiskers. Sasuke pointed his Pokédex at the creature to gather his information.

_Dewott-Discipline Pokémon_

_Scalchop techniques differ from one Dewott to another. It never neglects maintaining its scalchops._

"Nice job...Dewott," he said, returning the small otter his ball.

"De-Dewott," (Your welcome Sasuke-san) His newly evolved partner replied with a small bow of respect, before returning to his ball for a rest.

And then, to the sages, Sasuke said, "Thanks for the warm up," as he turned on his heel in order to go back to his dorm for the evening.

However, before he could do so, a familiar voice called out to him.

"Nicely, done young Sasuke," The voice said, a slow clap following it.

Looking over his shoulder, Sasuke noticed his history professor standing there, the sages bowing in respect of presence. Instead of his usual suit and tie, Orochimaru wore an extravagant robe. One side of the robe was beige, while the other was a royal blue, but both eyes had red irises. A crown-like garment was draped along his shoulders, and a shield, with a yellow cross, was on the center of his chest. From his neck hung a rather large pendant with an odd crimson jewel in the middle of it.

"Your battling skills are impressive for someone so young," He complimented. "Then again, you are an Uchiha..."

Before he could answer, Sasuke's Pokédex beeped, giving him a signal that a new entry had been acquired. Only taking a moment to peer at the electrical device, Sasuke's eyes widen he noticed the creature displayed on the small screen. The creature itself appeared to be a black, shadow-like creature with a small head that has a white fog-like ghostly substance billowing from atop, covering one of its bright blue eyes. The creature also had a red spiky growth around its neck, skinny arms, and long black tatters hanging from its shoulders. Sasuke did a double take on the entry, but almost immediately after, the screen had gone completely black, indicating that the Pokédex has been shut down.

"One might even say you have the skills worthy of being a leader." Orochimaru continued, earning a look from the young Uchiha.

Sasuke pocketed his Pokédex, and looked at the yellow eyed man. "Just where are you getting at, Professor?"

Smiling, Orochimaru answered, "We want you to become our new king. We, as in the Council of Light. You'll have anything; power, loyal subjects, and even a throne."

Sasuke just stared at his professor as if he were crazy, but took a moment to think over what he had said. Power...it was defiantly the thing that Sasuke desired most of all. That, and to become the most powerful trainer amongst his clan. However, his current dream was to defeat Itachi in the Sinnoh League. Mending to an entire society of followers would just hinder his dream.

So, shaking his head, Sasuke held up a hand before saying, "I'll pass. I've got too much going on now."

"I see," Orochimaru frowned. "If that is what you wish, then we shall take out leave," he turned towards the sages. "Let us be off now,"

The sages nodded in unison, and followed in behind their snake eyed leader to locations unknown. Sasuke watched as the eight of them walked away, their colorful robes flowing behind them. As he should head to his dorm for some rest, Sasuke huffed.

_Me, king of a bunch of weirdos who dress like medieval knights...?_ he thought with a snort. _Not likely._

Upon his return, Orochimaru wasted no time in storming back into his underground castle, shoving the giant bronze doors open with tremendous force. Seeing their master in a foul mood, the castle grunts immediately scurried like Ratatas towards the darker corners of the halls and out of sight for fear of being in the way of his wrath. They remained silent as the fuming man stomped by, his cloak swishing angrily as he walked. He could not understand it. He thought he had found the one person who could jump start the Council of Light's prophecy.

"So why is it that _that _child looks exactly like that Uchiha boy?" Orochimaru growled under his breath. If the vision Musharna had shown him twelve years ago was true, his plans should have already taken effect. "Was I wrong?" he hissed, striding towards the observatory.

He entered the voluminous chamber with the open ceiling. The Seven Sages kept Musharna imprisoned in a glass case at the center of the observatory. Two members of Team Plasma were guarding it at all times to ensure it would not escape. Orochimaru kept the Pokémon in case it would be of use again, and also because he feared that it would fall into the hands of another individual. The Pokémon simply held too many secrets.

Upon entering the observatory, however, Orochimaru was greeted with the sight of the two guards laying unconscious on the floor. The container that had been the Pokémon's prison was shattered, with no sign of the psychic Pokémon anywhere. Orochimaru froze, staring at the scene before him. Slowly, the ice in his blood was melted by a new wave of anger, and he roared, "What happened here?"

One of the grunts stirred. Orochimaru stormed over to the man and lifted him up effortlessly, his yellow eyes glaring intensely into the sleepy eyes of the grunt. Realizing the situation he was in, the guard blinked the sleep out of his eyes, fear and horror filling them instead. "P...Par...Pardon m...me s...s...sir?" he stuttered, wincing.

"Can you tell me," Orochimaru lifted him higher, "Where Musharna is?" He swished his arm down, flinging the unfortunate grunt to the ground.

The guard grunted in pain, but quickly answered, "I...I don't know! It...It just, well...the g...glass just suddenly b...broke and, and that's all I remember!" He stared helplessly at Orochimaru eyes looked away, unable to look away from it.

Orochimaru's eyes flared up in anger, but then went eerily calm. Relaxing his shoulder, he took a deep breath, "So...you are saying you two were unable to do anything about it?"

The petrified man could only nod, terrified of the sudden change of tone in Orochimaru's voice. Warning signals blared inside his head, but he could only stare up at the looming figure.

"In that case," Orochimaru turned around and started to walk away.

The grunt breathed out, not realizing he had been holding his breath. He started to relax, but his blood ran cold at Orochimaru's next words.

"Neither of you are of any use to me anymore," he pulled out a Pokéball from his robes, tossing it out.

A large three-headed dragon exploded out from the capsule, roaring savagely, his red eyes flickering from side to side in search of its next meal. Both of his arms ended with a head, jaws snapping hungrily. His six feathery black wings flapped to keep the Dragon-type hovering in the air; the toxic fuchsia feathers that surrounded each of the blue heads fluttered in the gust created by the wings. Slick ebony fur ran down the neck and arms, ending mid-torso, where blue and fuchsia scales covered the rest of his body and tail. Orochimaru sneered, knowing just how hungry his Hydreigon was.

"Hydreigon, do not leave too many scraps behind, if you can. The grunts will start rumors if you do," Orochimaru waved his hand as he walked to the doorway to get a safe distance away before turning back around to watch the show.

The conscious grunt backed away, shaking his head in fear. "N...no please! Master Orochimaru, I'm sorry! Please forgive me!" he pleaded desperately, eyes never leaving the slowly advancing dragon.

"It's too late. My Hydreigon is much too famished to stop. Is it not Pokémon abuse to deny him a lovely meal?" Orochimaru gave a cruel smile to the horrified guard. "You are in Council of Light. Our job is to appease and liberate all Pokémon, is it not?"

"N...no please! Please!" The grunt continued to cry, suddenly tripping over the other grunt. The other man stirred from his sleep just as Hydreigon lunged at the pair.

Spine chilling screams sliced through the air, dispersing upwards through the opening of the chamber before fading into the blood-red sunset overhead. Orochimaru watched the bloodbath unfold before his eyes in satisfaction. Hydreigon ate with equal satisfaction, particularly pleased by the more corpulent of the two guards. Finally finishing his meal, Hydreigon returned over to Orochimaru.

Noticing the mass of red liquid on the ground, the yellow eyed man scowled, "You left a huge mess on the marble floor. Now we need to get someone to clean it up." Sighing, he returned his Hydreigon, tucking the Pokéball back into the folds of his robes.

Finding Musharna or a replacement was now a high priority, and he had a pretty good idea as to where it had gone. But one thing ranked higher than that; he had to have Sasuke on his side in order to the Council of Light on their quest of liberation.

_That following morning..._

The sun reached over the horizon, tickling the landscape with its golden rays, starting the new day. Not a single soul was stirring at White Academy.

Not long before the sun shined its first lights of the day, Zorua suddenly shot up from her slumber, eyes already wide awake, and her head buzzing in excitement. Her head snapped to her alarm clock, where the flashing lights of the digital clock read 5:27 A.M. It was not set to ring for at least another two hours, but it made no difference to this particularly excited kitsune.

She looked over the edge of the window seal bed and hopped over to the bed adjacent to hers. A lumpy mess of blankets completely consumed the sleeping figure under them, but a snore so loud that a bulldozer would be jealous rumbled from underneath, and Zorua grinned. With one graceful leap, she jumped onto the bed, the elasticity springing her up and down as she landed on the soft material. The boisterous snores ceased, and a small muffled groan broke the silence.

"Zo...Zorua!" (Oi, Naruto, Naruto! Wake up!)

Zorua started to bounce on the bed, the springs creaking under the pressure. A muffled sound of protest came from the blankets, but Zorua was not giving up. She took a particularly large bounce and landed in a straddling position on top of the lump, and a small yelp could be heard from Naruto at the moment of impact.

"Zo, Zorua!" (Come on, come on, you know what day today is, and if you don't, then there's something seriously wrong with you! Come on, don't you want to wake up early on this day?)

With a wide grin on her face, Zorua started to shake her sleeping trainer with her paw, in hopes that he would at least poke his head out of the blankets. It was not very effective at all, and she felt him pull himself tighter into a ball, curling beneath his blankets. Huffing in exasperation, she stood up and stared down at her trainer. Deafening silence filled the room before Gengar decided to have a little fun.

"Gen..." (She said…) he leapt into the air and folded his legs in to a kneeling position, "Gar!" (…RISE AND SHINE!) Before letting gravity slam his shins down, with a terrible force, on top of his unfortunate sleeping trainer.

A yell of pained surprise resounded through the room and Naruto finally pulled the blankets off his head, although he neither rose nor shined. His sleepy eyes tried their best to give the laughing Gengar a withering glare, but to no avail. Gengar rolled off of him, and Zorua sat on the side of his bed, a smile still on her joyous face along with Tepig and Pansage.

"Zo-Zorua!" (Good morning, Naruto!) she cooed.

Naruto groggily lifted his head to look at the alarm clock. Squinting so that he could read the blurry numbers, Naruto groaned and complained, "Guys, its 5:30! Why would anyone be awake this early for?"

Correction, five were now awake at White Academy.

Zorua smiled and hopped off the bed, landing with a soft thud. "Zorua, Zo!" (How can you expect me to sleep on this exciting day? I'm surprised you can sleep in!) she teased, stretching her stiff muscles and joints.

True, she was only exaggerating. All trainers and their partners, as promised by the head of the Entei dorm, Kakashi, were to receive a big breakfast, as a special gift for passing the first round of the tournament.

Naruto raised himself up into a sitting position and tousled his blond hair, sighing again. Now that he was mostly awake, and sleep was leaving his mind, he began to compose himself. His Pokémon watched as their trainer quickly ran into the bathroom with his clothes, and got dress in black jogging attire.

"Well," he said, pulling on some running shoes. "Since we're up, we might as well do a little jogging."

Naruto went to the mini fridge to grab a water bottle before opening the door to the outside. The crisp and cool morning air hit their warm faces, and the five of them stepped out of the dorm. By now, the sun was shining a bit brighter, illuminating the dim morning scenery with its golden light. The joyful song of early morning Pidoves foretold the coming of a great day. Gengar ran after a huge gathering of them, and upon seeing the ghost Pokémon chasing them, the Pidove scattered in all directions, disappearing into the canopies of trees. Tepig scowled Gengar for his childish exploits in front of young Zorua, while Naruto turned to gently close the door behind him, a task he was used to doing after his team would run off upon leaving the dorm.

It was around 7:45 when Naruto returned to his dorm for a shower, and got dressed. Naruto wore a simple black tank top underneath a black and orange baseball jersey. His blue jeans touched the floor, and Naruto made a note to tuck them into his shoes later when he left the dorm. With that, he walked to the dinning hall. The telltale smell of buttery pancakes, smoky bacon, and happy trainers and Pokémon was a sign that Naruto and his team were on time.

Kiba, who was already there waiting with Lee, Sasuke, Chris, and Frost, grabbed a pitcher of orange juice from the table and filled his glass to the brim while Lee went for the milk. Before long, the two them walked through the line, and then sat down with food. Both had eggs, hash browns, bacon, and pancakes. However, Kiba had chocolate chip pancakes while the others had Bluk berry, just as they liked. They waited until their mother sat down with her own plate of food before digging in, but not before Kiba had drowned all of his food in maple syrup. _All_ of it.

Naruto chuckled at his actions as he dripped reasonable amounts of syrup onto his pancakes. In many ways, he and Kiba were so different, but it somehow brought them closer. He chewed his food thoughtfully as he watched his roommate delightedly shovel syrup covered eggs into his mouth. Maybe syrup on eggs tasted good? He forked a piece of his scrambled eggs and dipped it into the runoff syrup on his plate. He put the morsel in his mouth, letting the taste sink into his tongue. Furrowing his eyebrows, he decided that the taste did not suit him after all.

The Pokémon sat beside their trainers eating a special breakfast blend made by the school's masterful chef. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, chatting while dining on endless pile of hot pancakes. Gengar on the other hand was much more interested in what the trainers had rather than dry Pokémon food. Smirking, the purple used his otherworldly powers in order to steal the very last pancake from Naruto's plate. Naruto and the others watched as the pancake began to floated from his plate. Without even turning to look at the purple ghost creature, Naruto reached into his pocket for the Soothe Bell.

"I'd drop that pancake if I were you," Naruto said, and Gengar's eyes widened from the sight of the bell.

Huffing, the shadow creature placed the pancake down back onto the plate, and Gengar returned to his food. Before long everyone had finished eating. Now wide awake, and stomachs full of food, the tournament participants of the Entei dorm were now ready to head to Apotos before training the remainder of the day since the stadium was closed for the day for stage maintenance.

Meanwhile, at the girl's dorm, Sakura and Blaze sat in front of their dorm's TV watching reruns of the previous battle winners together. The girls of the Entei dorm had already finished their special breakfast, and were getting ready to head to Apotos for a little shopping.

_So Karin and Ami are also in the next round too,_ Sakura thought nervously, her hands twisting in her lap. _I wonder if my team and I will be able to handle them when the time comes... _

Luckily, Skitty, who was on her shoulder, sensed her unease and made comforting noises from her spot on the couch to calm her trainer down.

"Meo," Skitty said softly, and it was clear that she was placing both her support and the support of the rest of the team firmly behind Sakura. They were all in this together, and not a single team member wanted to lose so early in the tournament.

"Skitty, I know you're with me and the others too," Sakura said gratefully, stroking Skitty's head with a sad smile. "But I just have a weird feeling about this. I've never known myself to be so nervous about a contest battle before."

Perhaps it was due in part to the strange and frankly intimidating situation that she found herself in. Her potential opponent, Karin was the daughter of the leader of Team Magma, while Ami came from a clan of trainers who lived and breath for contest battles. Sakura had never seen the two of them battle since she hung out with her roommates during the weekends. Thus, Sakura had no knowledge about them other than they were inspiring coordinators. Not the most ideal profile to be heading into a potential battle against. She kept worrying that Karin and Ami would sweep her and Blaze aside with ease, but seconds later she remembered she was a tough trainer too, and her battles and tests hadn't exactly been as easy as pie. Sakura would just have to forget about the enigma surrounding Karin and Ami and steel herself for battle, trust in her team and go all-out for victory if she wanted to achieve first place.

_Tomorrow, Sakura and I will be heading into second match,_ Blaze said to herself, her fists clenching and unclenching of their own accord as she stared ahead without actually seeing anything.

She was incredibly tense and alert, twitching at the slightest noise, and there always seemed to be tongues of fire at the edge of her vision before she whipped around to see nothing out of the ordinary. In her hand, Blaze held the TM Hyperbeam for her partner Persephone the Rapidash who resides at the campus stalls. Earlier during the year, she had nearly been blasted by a powerful Hyper beam. And although Persephone was a natural at battling, Blaze was still uncharacteristically high-strung after the incident that occured during the spring during the Raikou Exams.

_"Persephone, battle dance!"_

_"Take the stage, Eros!"_

_"Wow! In a completely unexpected move, Blaze has picked her Rapidash for the second time today! He seems to have recovered from his battle with Cloyster, but his previous exertions could prove his undoing. Karin, meanwhile, has chosen her Flareon, a fresh new fighter who is seeing his first tournament match right here and now," Ayame said._

_"Begin!" Asuma said, and lowered his flags as the Trainers prepared for the final fight._

_"Eros, charge!" Karin ordered; she was feeling marginally confident in this battle, as Persephone was already weak, and was only strengthened from Fire type attacks with her Flash Fire ability. _

_However, Persephone wasn't going to let up a single bit, and she'd battle as if she faced a completely new opponent at the height of her strength. The fire horse neighed and dashed forwards, her mane expanding and engulfing her until she appeared as a dashing inferno, dodging between the rocky pillars and picking up speed with every step._

_"Keep going Persephone, just battle like you did earlier. I trust your strength," Blaze said; Eros' fire made her nervous, so it was just as well that she wouldn't be required to give many orders in the fight. _

_Once she was close enough, Persephone opened her mouth and emitted a thick wave of fire, shielding her from view, and Eros stopped in his tracks, unwilling to enter the shroud his opponent was hiding within._

_"Eros, stay calm. Use Hyper beam," Karin commanded, and Eros breathed out a wave of energy. The attack hit the Heat Wave with a crack, dispersing it until the field was completely clear. _

_The only thing missing from the scene was Eros himself; in his place was a large, roughly-dug hole. _

_"He's using Dig! Quick Persephone, jump onto that rock slab over there!" Blaze cottoned on quickly, and Rapidash landed on a flat piece of hard rock with a clatter of hooves. _

_Eros erupted from the ground nearby; his ploy defeated, and circled Persephone instead, not taking an eye off his horse-like foe. _

_"OK, Eros, use Charm!" Karin said, and Eros suddenly lost his entire aggressive stance, gazing up at Persephone sweetly and causing the fire horse to stop, confused at her foe's sudden change of tack._

_"It's a trick! Hurry and use Take Down!" Blaze bellowed, but Persephone looked at her as if wondering who the girl shouting orders at her was._

_"Yes! Eros, Iron Tail!" Karin said triumphantly, and with a great force, Eros swung his body around, hardening the flames of his tail into a steely lump that slugged Persephone across the cheek with eye-watering power. _

_Persephone bellowed with pain and withdrew from immediate range, embarrassed at her lowered guard and snorted angrily, eager to get even. _

_"Keep it up with Charm once more!" Karin ordered; if she could continue to entrance her foe, and then hit her hard, she'd be onto a winner without breaking a sweat. _

_However, alarm bells rang in Persephone's head as Eros suddenly looked cute and inoffensive again, and she snorted with rage, barreling towards her foe and taking him heavily in the side with a Take Down, which sent him smashing into a huge rock. Neighing with fury, Persephone continued the attack, bringing up her hind-legs and sending another rock hurtling towards Eros to finish the job. _

_"Get out of there, Eros!" Karin cried, and Eros came back to his self slightly, just avoiding the missile and standing firm as it shattered against another rock._

_"Persephone, you can do better than that," Blaze said impatiently. "Stop being so sloppy."_

_The fire in Persephone's eyes dimmed slightly and she focused, cooling her competitive rage with common sense and getting ready to destroy Eros with a more conventional attack. _

_Blaze smiled. "Good. Now use Solar beam!"_

_"Eros, Fire Blast!" Karin parried quickly, and a huge fiery star pushed past the shinning beam of light blown from Persephone's horn, exploding against the fire horse Pokémon and sending her hurtling into a rock. _

_The boulder shattered beneath her bulk, but she certainly hadn't escaped unharmed and got to her feet gingerly, favoring her hind legs. This Flareon was good, but she was better. Now was when she had to prove that. _

_"Eros, look! She's weakening!" Karin said confidently, seeing that Persephone had been hurt in her close encounter with the rock. "We're heading for the second round, my friend. Keep her at bay with another Fire Blast!" _

_Persephone snorted, and he charged straight into the Fire Blast as quickly as she could, using its explosion to speed up her own lunge and ignoring the burning pain as much as possible. Eros recoiled with surprise as Persephone emerged from the explosion, and was powerless to resist as the fire-horse jabbed him with her horn, driving him further and further back until he stumbled on a rock._

_"Ha! Just my line of thinking, Persephone. Finish it!" Blaze said eagerly, and Persephone infused one of his hands with poison, ready to strike the helpless Flareon with one last attack. _

_Karin, however, knew that this was her prime chance to hurt Persephone, and badly._

_"Eros, now! Hyper beam!" she commanded, and Eros looked up, blasting out an beam of red and orange colored energy that slammed against Persephone's chest, driving the wind out of her and forcing her ever further back under the pressure of indescribably powerful attack. _

_She felt herself collide with a rock, but even the rock was helpless beneath Hyper beam's power, and it shattered. Again and again Persephone was bludgeoned against rocks as Eros' Hyper beam slammed her straight through them, before finally petering out, the fire kitsune his self-panting heavily. Persephone was sprawled on the ground, but before the judge could even consider counting her out, she was dragging herself back up, leaning on her left leg to support herself. She could never remember being in so much pain in her life; her body ached from being battered against rocks, and her flesh was seared by the Hyper beam's sheer power and pressure. Coupled with her pounding at Cloyster's hands, she felt ready to drop. She could feel her strength ebbing slowly away, and leaning on her leg to keep herself steady._

_"Persephone..." Blaze called, but she could think of nothing else to say. _

_Willpower and bloody-mindedness alone were keeping Persephone on her feet, and she was afraid that she would break the spell if she gave the fire Pokémon an order._

_"Eros, fantastic. Look at her," Karin said breathlessly, and the kitsune raised his head, focusing blearily on his foe. "That was an incredible Hyper beam. You should be proud. But let's finish this once and for all with a Hyper beam once more." _

_Persephone straightened up slightly dragged out of her haze of pain by the last two words. Hyper beam...she was under attack. Part of her didn't care, she was so tired. But her trainer was relying on her, so as the gigantic energy beam raced towards her, she jumped into the air before landing heavily, neighing triumphantly to herself as the attack exploded behind her._

_However, the Hyper beam had stopped just short of Blaze, and filled the girl's eyes with terrible visions of fire and flames that made it seem like she was young again, and tried teaching it to Persephone as Ponyta. As a result, the attack went exploding out of control. Persephone was suddenly alert as she heard the horribly familiar sound of her trainer screaming with fear, and looked up to see Blaze crawling backwards across the ground, her yellow wide eyes as the attack floated down around her. _

_With a great howl of rage and pain combined, Persephone struggled to his feet and lunged at Eros madly, her eyes bulging with anger as she charged at the kitsune and slammed him against the biggest rock on the field with an ominous crunch. _

_Both fire Pokémon reeled out of the dust-cloud weakly, their heads swimming; Persephone had been too weak and angry to attack with any finesse, so she had impacted with the boulder nearly as hard as Eros. However, her determination to see her trainer alright kept her conscious as the fiery kitsune collapsed close by._

_"Flareon is unable to battle! Rapidash is the winner! This match goes to Blazing Inferno!" Ayame announced, and, breathing heavily, Persephone returned to Blaze's side, allowing her to climb onto her back. _

_Then without a second thought, Persephone and Blaze took off to somewhere away from the crowds, where both of them could recover in peace._

She had collapsed with fear, for Arceus' sake; hardly befitting for a coordinator of her caliber. What worried her most was the chance of her foe having the same partner as before, and her losing control at the sight of energy beam and completely throwing the battle away. She trusted her partners to fight well and do their best for victory, but without a solid trainer backing them up they lost a lot of their effectiveness. Persephone was good to operate alone, but the others would be left vulnerable if she gave into fear. It was this knowledge, both that she would be letting her side down and the very idea of terror itself, that made her sick to the stomach, and she actually found herself trembling with nerves as she sat with Sakura at their dorm.

Blaze clutched the TM in her hand, as if to break it. No doubt that Hyper beam was a powerful move, but it just brought back so many memories...

"Hey, Blaze," Sakura suddenly spoke up. "How about we head into Apotos? You know, to look for some contest items? I'd promised Naruto and Kiba that we would meet them there with their new friend."

Blaze shrugged a little as she snapped back into reality. "I guess we could," she answered, standing up from her seat to stretch. "But first, I need to make a little stop."

Sakura was curious to where Blaze had to go before heading to Apotos. With Skitty by her side, Sakura followed Blaze to the campus stalls where some of the students kept their Ponyta and Rapidash. After walking past three others, Blaze had finally stopped in front of stall labeled 'Persephone'. Blaze stepped inside, and walked over to the fire horse, gently petting her nose.

"She's beautiful," Sakura noticing Persephone's fiery mane.

"I know right? Persephone along with Pignite are my best battlers," Blaze continued to stroke her Rapidash's nose. "Heatmor and Pansear still need a bit of training, though."

"Then why haven't you used her for any battles?" Sakura questioned, and Blaze just looked at her. "I'm sure she can help us get to the top."

Blaze looked at Persephone again, stroking her head. "I'd rather not bore you with the details," she said, and Sakura had then noticed the bandages wrapped around Persephone's right hind leg.

The two girls walked from the academy, after watching Ami and Karin pretty much destroy their opponents; since she and Blaze were heading to the second round, Sakura knew that this meant the two of them could possibly match up against them, so she knew that she would have to push herself to the utmost extent of her abilities to win this competition.

Once in Apotos, Sakura strolled down the street peering into each store window. So many different foods, clothes, and little interesting knick knacks were sold here. If only she had more money, she would certainly buy something. Fishing into her bag again, Sakura dug out her little green wallet with an unclasped the buckle. A small frown crossed her face, and she pursed my lips.

"I'll need to spend carefully…I don't have much money left…" she sighed, walking along.

Sakura had another week before her parents mailed her some money. So, she continued strolling down the street, oblivious to the fact that she had left her companions several blocks away.

Her eyes blinked, a bright smile spreading across her face. "Well this looks like an interesting shop," she said, walking towards a little boutique.

She opened the door, and a small bell ran overhead, announcing her entrance. A woman at the counter greeted her with a warm smile, a greeting that Sakura returned.

The woman walked over to Sakura, asking, "May I help you?"

Sakura grinned, "Oh, I'm just looking around. I just saw some items in the window and thought they were very cute."

The store clerk chuckled, replying, "These are all accessories for your Pokémon, dear!"

Sakura nodded slowly, her mouth open slightly as she breathed out, "I see..."

The woman continued, "Most of these are just for show, but some actually contain energy to enhance your Pokémon's abilities."

Sakura smiled. "Enhance abilities? So, it'll make them stronger as well?"

Nodding quickly, the store clerk led the Trainer to the other side of the shop, where some items were stored behind a glass case. "Here they are. Each of these items enhances a certain type of Pokémon move."

Seeing Sakura's awe expression, the woman further explained, "How about this. For example," She pointed to a white scarf wrapped around a small mannequin, "This is called a Silk Scarf. It enhances the power of Normal-type Pokémon, like Lillipups and Patrats. It contains a curious energy that seems to only be in harmony with Normal types. It's rather fascinating, actually." She mused.

Sakura smiled. This would was sure to give her partners an advantage. "Well I have a Skitty, Teddiursa, and Herdier. This would perfect for them." She gazed over the price tags, her face falling a little.

"But to get an item for each of them…I can only afford one…" Sakura was torn. She did not want her other Pokémon to feel left out if only one of them got a present…

The shop owner smiled sadly, saying, "Well you can always return later if you'd like. I have quite a number of items in stock. How about it?"

Sakura nodded, but suddenly asked, "What items do you have on discount?"

Pointing to a small white gem attached to a leather twine, the store clerk responded, "Any types are compatible with these trinkets. Items like these are actually rather cheap. If you'd like, I can sell them to you at a discounted price of P150 each. What do you say?"

Sakura had the idea to give a gift to her Pokémon, in hopes of them becoming friendlier with her. She could definitely afford them, so she happily replied, "That would be great. Let me fish out my wallet again."

She went back for another hunt through her purse while the store clerk pulled out the assortment of necklaces from behind the counter. Fetching the money from her purse, Sakura placed P600 onto the counter with a bright grin, trading the cash for the necklaces of her choice.

"Thanks," Sakura took the necklace carefully, heading to the door. "I'll be back later when I have more money! Thank you Ma'am!"

The woman waved back, smiling. "Thank you! Have a nice day!"

Naruto, Kiba, Blaze, and Tenshi ran down several blocks, searching the masses of people for the pinkette Coordinator. However, Sakura was nowhere to be found, and the Trainers were beginning to become anxious.

"Sheesh, that Sakura. Always running off, and always getting lost," Kiba growled.

"Oh come on, Kiba. That's not true!" Naruto countered, simultaneously peering into shop windows and holding his phone to her ear.

He got Sakura's voicemail again, and snapped his phone close in frustration. Tenshi followed behind him, checking the shops as well.

"Why not just ask someone if they've seen her?" Blaze suggested.

Kiba rolled his eyes. "In this crowd? Who would remember one person out of everyone on the street?"

"Oh!" Naruto exclaimed, "Sakura likes to shop. I'm sure if we ask some shop owners, they would have seen her," He crossed his arms, looking at all the shops. "I'll ask…this one!"

Naruto ran to a shop and burst in, leaving his friends outside. A moment later, he came out, shaking his head. "Nope. Ok let's try another one…"

The four trainers wandered around, asking more shop owners, but no one had seen their bubbly friend. About to give up, Blaze said, "Why don't we just go back to campus. Maybe she's already th-"

"I'll check this one!" Naruto exclaimed, dashing into a little boutique. The bell overhead jingled, and a woman at the counter smiled at her new visitor. "Welcome! May I help you today?"

"Hello, did you happen to see a pink-haired girl, about ye-tall," He held his hands a bit over his head, indicating Sakura's height, "Has emerald eyes?"

Nodding, the woman replied, "As a matter of fact, yes! I sold her a few Pokémon accessories today. Are you looking for her?"

"Yes! Finally, someone who has seen her!" Naruto jumped up in the air, giving a victory cry. While Zorua cooed happily, Gengar rolled his eyes at his trainer's childish antics.

Calming down, he addressed the clerk, "Yeah, my friends and I have been looking for her. Any clue where she went?"

"Not too sure, but I did see her walk away towards the town square. The members of The Council of Light are going to be a special speech today," The woman informed.

Naruto quickly bowed, grinning, "Thank you! Have a nice day!" before he rushed out the door with his team.

"Well?" Blaze asked the blond.

"The woman said she should be heading for the park," he answered. "But first, we have to find the park..."

Before someone could respond to his comment, however, a loud yelling cut into the trainers' conversation.

"The Council of Light are in town!" The voice belonged to a man dressed in a hooded overall, somewhat resembling a medieval knight's garb.

A blue shield was centered on his top, while a black cross was printed on the top of his hood. He was handing out flyers to passersby, and as the group came closer, a small smirk crossed his face noticing the Pokémon with them. Nonetheless, he handed them a flying, saying, "Our members are giving speeches throughout the town today. Please attend them and listen to the words of wisdom!"

The group was quite intrigued, knowing this was a great chance to see a celebrity in person. Without another word to the man, they walked away, heading towards the park. The advertiser rolled his eyes, returning to his vocal advertisement.

Naruto, Kiba, Blaze and Tenshi found their way to the park, and found Sakura already there. There a sizable crowd meandering in front of a raised platform, waiting for the speech to start. The gang had also spotted a strange group of people dressed like students from the academy, with the exception of an all-white uniform set up a stage using a group of fighting type Pokémon called Timburr.

Thank you for your help Timburr this way our leader's message will spread across the nation! Hail The Council of Light!" Saluted a couple of the students. The Timburr were quite strong slamming wooden planks into the ground at break neck speeds.

"Please hurry Timburr! Our Master will be furious if his speech is delayed any further!"

Sakura glanced around the crowd, having never seen this many people in her life besides crowding the stands of the academy's stadium. Even the streets did not have as many people as she saw now.

Naruto raised his eyebrows. "I never did understand those outfits that The Council of Light workers wore…" he sighed, before bending down to pick up his Zorua, fearing she would lost in the crowd.

Kiba shrugged, crossing his arms as he watched with Akamaru by his feet, and Ukki-Chan atop his head. Tenshi scooped up her Shieldon into her arms, hugging him to her chest while Pignite and Pansear stayed close to Blaze.

The man in the center stepped aside, allowing another man behind him to pass through the line to the front. Cheers erupted from the crowd when Orochimaru appeared, donned in an extravagant robe. His face wore a soft expression, a friendly smile plastered on his face. On the flaps of the robe were two eye-shaped designs. One side of the robe was beige, while the other was a royal blue, but both eyes had red irises. A crown-like garment was draped along his shoulders, and a shield, with a yellow cross in the middle of it, was on the center of his chest. The strange crimson jewel inside the pendant he wore glistened in the afternoon sun, and Orochimaru raised his arms up into the air to silence the excited crowd.

He stepped up to a podium on the stage, and cleared his throat. "Thank you all for coming out here on this glorious day. As you all may know, I am Orochimaru, a representative of The Council of Light," he paused to smile as the crowd cheered again.

Once they calmed down, he boomed in a powerful voice, "Today, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to talk to you about Pokémon liberation!"

Confusion swept through the crowd. "Huh?" One lady called out. Another man demanded, "What...?"

Blaze frowned. This was definitely new. She had figured that her father would be speaking about another fundraiser to help Pokémon, as The Council of Light usually did.

"What do you make of his?" She turned to Naruto.

Naruto shook his head, also surprised. "Not sure. I guess we just have to see what he says," he shrugged.

Orochimaru took the microphone from the stand, and proceeded to walk along the left side of the stage, continuing his speech. "I'm sure most of you believe that we humans and Pokémon are partners that have come together because we want and need each other."

He stopped, turning to the crowd, "However…is that really the truth?" His smile faded, replaced with a small scowl. His free arm raised, palm facing upwards. "Have any of you ever considered, that perhaps, just perhaps, we humans…only _assume_ this to be the truth?"

His voice amplified, and he roared, "Pokémon are subject to the selfish commands of Trainers! They get pushed around," he spat out the words, "when they are our "partners" at work!"

He walked back to the center of the stage. "Can anyone say with confidence that there is no truth in what I'm saying?" It was almost as if he was demanding an answer.

"Oh, my!" One woman squeaked, biting her lip, clutching onto her Pokéball.

"I don't know…" A man pursed his lips, glancing at his Pokémon every so often.

One young girl held her hands up to her mouth, gasping, "No way!" All around, people were having second thoughts about their Pokémon, Orochimaru's words having impacted their hearts.

Orochimaru walked to the right now, his voice softening. His smile returned soft and kind. "Now, ladies and gentlemen. Pokémon are different from humans. They are living beings that contain potential!"

His voice began to creased again, pausing in between phrases and emphasizing certain words, "They, are living beings, from whom we humans, have so much to learn!" He held up this arm again, his charismatic roar returning. "Tell me! What is our responsibility toward these wonderful beings called Pokémon?"

Sakura heard someone mumbled "Liberation" next to her, and she bit her lip. Could Orochimaru be right? She only had her Pokémon for a short while now, and already she was having second thoughts.

"Well this is ridiculous!" A voice whispered next to her. Sakura turned her head to see Blaze, frowning. "I'm pretty sure that my Pokémon don't mind me. I mean, Pansear got used to me so fast. I'd like to think that I am treating my team nicely, and it's reflecting in the affection they return to me!"

Pignite, however confused, put on the same determined expression Blaze had, and oinked, "Pig, pig!"

On her shoulder, Pansear nodded happily. Sakura could not help but stare wide mouth at what Blaze just said. She did not notice that Orochimaru had walked back to the center, finishing up his speech.

"That's right! We must liberate the Pokémon! Then, and truly then, will humans and Pokémon truly be equals!" His smile morphed into a snaky grin, and for a fleeting moment, a flash of insanity crossed his eyes. "Everyone, I end my words here today by imploring, each one of you, to consider the relationship between human and Pokémon," he paused, staring out into the crowd.

For a brief moment, his eyes widened ever so slightly when they wandered over to Naruto. Recomposing himself, he continued, "And find…the correct way to proceed." He set the microphone back into its stand, because calmly saying, "I appreciate your attention. Thank you."

Orochimaru's kind smile returned, and he stepped down from the podium, taking one more glance over at the group before walking towards the center of the stage, where his entourage of The Council of Light members had split into a special formation to escort the celebrity offstage. After the formal exit, the crowd started to disperse, still utterly confused about the situation.

One young boy yelled out, "Liberate Pokémon? Was he nuts? That's not even possible!" and he walked off, huffing.

Some other people nodded in agreement, leaving as well. Some stragglers were still deliberating, and walked away, staring at their Poke balls, confusion and torment in their eyes.

Our heroes were the last ones remaining. Kiba sighed and turned to his friends, hands in his pockets. "Well that was utterly ridiculous. Liberate Pokémon on such an overview? Unbelievable."

Naruto shrugged, sitting Zorua down near Gengar. "I think there was some truth in it, but I don't think it's necessary to liberate Pokémon. There really is an interconnecting relationship between humans and Pokémon. Liberating them will only break that connection that supports us both."

Zorua nodded a smile on her cute little face. Gengar on the other hand, huffed, feeling no need for a human to have to command him. He had agreed with Orochimaru to some degree, but how was he going to get food without his trainer? He was willing to give up some of his pride for food. Besides, Naruto was not half bad for a human. He was starting to prefer him over any one else.

Tenshi nodded, "Right. I mean, as long as the Pokémon love you, that's all that matters, isn't it?" She petted her Shieldon, who gave out happy calls.

Sakura was silent though. Heck, even Kiba had said something profound against Orochimaru's philosophy, but she still could not shake the feeling that maybe she was not meant to be a trainer. Her Pokémon could get someone far better than she was: someone more reliable, someone stronger, someone they would like…

However, Sakura could not bare to think she was hurting any of teammates, so she turned toward an open patch of grass releasing them from their Pokéball.

"Come out guys we need to talk!" After appearing the Pokémon stared at Sakura, they seemed very concerned about her.

Sakura crouched down to their level and spoke. "Uh...it's about what Professor Orochimaru said earlier... am I forcing you to do anything you do something you do want to do? If I am you can leave if you want!"

"C'mon, Sakura don't tell me you listened to a word that Orochimaru said?" Sighed Naruto shrugging leisurely.

"Yesh, if a Pokémon isn't battling then what good is it?" Kiba quickly caught the annoyed glares of Blaze and Naruto. In return, he just shrugged. "What? You two don't agree with me? Fine have your own opinions, but you'll be force to acknowledge my power when I'm Champion!"

"Woof, woof!" cried Herdier at Sakura. (Where is this coming from? Sakura-san!)

Teddiursa pointed two of his claws together smiling sheepishly. "Ursa...Teddi! Ursa! Teddi!" (I don't know I would prefer not to battle!)

Munna nodded slightly. (I agree. Battling isn't always the answer.)

"Woof...woof! Woof!" snapped Herdier turning toward the two of them. (Stop being lazy you two! Sakura-san is a wonderful trainer!)

Skitty shot back glaring at Herdier. "Meo! Meo!" (I like Sakura too, but they do have a point!)

After shouting at his teammates, Herdier bowed in front of Sakura smiling. "Woof! Woof! Woof!"(Do not listen to them Sakura-san! It's an honor to serve to under you! I would rather perform a Seppuku than disobey an order!)

"Meo! Meo!" Sighed Skitty rolling her eyes. (Calm down Herdier, we were only speaking our minds.)

"Woof! Woof!" Snarled Herdier baring his fangs at his team. (You three are a disgrace! We have a duty to protect Sakura!)

"I wonder what they are saying…?" Sighed Sakura looking at them all confused.

Blaze crossed her arms. "They seem to be having an argument about something..."

Just then, before any of the others said anything, a teen boy with teal colored hair and his twin stepped onto the park's stage brimming with confidence. His audience was a group of teenaged trainer around the age of sixteen.

"Our names are Sakon and Ukon; we are members of the Council of Light! We may just be another our Leader's most trusted messengers; however, he has permitted to give our thoughts about Pokémon Liberation!" Smiled the first one. Around his neck was a medium sized, blue and gold cross.

"Now, I'm guessing you all want to become great trainers, no?" Asked Ukon.

In response, the group of smiled trainers nodded. One boy even shouted, "You bet!" while his friends remained silent.

"Quoting our leader, who is it that gave us lowly humans the right to enslave Pokémon?" Ukon then asked walking around the stage. "We arrogantly use Pokémon in contests were they are forced to hurt each other and for what a Gym Badge don't make us laugh!"

The teen trainers looked at each other, and then the Pokéballs in their hands frowning.

The twins began to really pour it on yelling. "Pokémon aren't tools for our enjoyment, they're creatures that deserve our respect! But how do we show our respect; we take credit for their exploits, we dress them up in ridiculous costumes, and to make matters worse we have the audacity to call the greatest slave master the Champion!" Sakon said.

Their speech seemed to work on a couple of trainers as they began letting their Pokémon go, the gang watched in horror as a Drilbur and a Prinplup was released.

"What in the world are you people doing? You can't believe this two you don't even know them!" cried Sakura.

"Don't waste your breath with them Sakura? If this all it takes for these people to release their Pokémon they didn't deserve one in the first place!" replied Kiba.

Sakura wasn't the only one not buying Sakon and Ukon's rhetoric, Blaze seemed just as angry.

"What's the matter with you people? Don't listen to that lunatic!" To Blaze, and every other trainer, Pokémon were the most precious gift given to mankind and these people were just releasing them. With tears rolling down her cheeks she cried. "How could you people be so heartless?"

Noticing a couple of the other trainers booing him, Sakon and Ukon packed back and forth on the stage.

"Even if you refuse to release your Pokémon our King will use the great Reshiram to force you to bind to his will! Our King will take over the mantle of the Hero and save all the Pokémon from you worthless humans!" Sakon shouted at them.

"Why don't you shut up!" Growled Sakura balling up her fist. "I just recently learned the joy of being around Pokémon and I won't let some liar wreck everything for me! So I suggest you get off that stage before I throw you off!"

Sakura stopped rubbing Blaze's back and smiled. "I guess under all that bluster you're still a little kid, huh? Don't worry, we'll handle these freaks!"

The twins did not seem fazed by Blaze's words in the least and he turned to leave.

"You're lucky! If my brother wanted to, you would have been punished!" cried Sakon pulling up a The Council of Light's flag. Carrying the flag over his shoulder, Sakon walked toward them smiling. "I was like you once I refused to acknowledge that I was mistreating Pokémon, but our Master opened up my eyes! And now I'm free to spread the word of Pokémon Liberation throughout this great nation of ours!"

"You're talking utter nonsense! If a Pokémon was being mistreated wouldn't it just leave?" asked Tenshi.

"Come along twin, we don't have time to argue with these knaves! We must get to back to the lab and obtain some Dream Mist at once!" said Ukon while talking to his twin.

Turning his attention towards the gang, an angry Ukon snapped. "We don't need humans like that in our society! Once our Master the new king, he revives Reshiram, all of Unova will be under his power, and everyone will be forced to release their Pokémon whether they like it or not!"

Watching the twins walk away, Blaze yelped. "Good riddance to those clowns!"

"Magnificent!" Someone shouted.

The group looked amongst themselves. Then, deciding that the voice had come from somewhere else, they all turned around coming face to face with a tall man and his partner, an eagle-like Pokémon named Braviary. The man himself wore a navy blue and black suit, a pair of matching gloves with glowing green orbs on the back of the palm, white boots, helmet that covered his face, and had a tinted visor, and a long red flowing cape. Some might even consider this strange man to be a superhero.

"Meo...Meo! Meo!" Gasped Skitty in horror. (Look at that outfit! It's utter ghastly!)

Herdier nodded his head replying. "Woof...woof! Woof!" (He does look a bit eccentric! However, I believe he maybe a kind person!)

Stuffing a combination of sweet and sour poffin into his mouth, Teddiursa replied, "Teddi...Ursa! Teddiursa!" (I think the word you are looking for is nuts!)

From beside the strange man, Braviary just continued to stare at the young Pokémon and their trainers. Having a trio of youngsters insult his trainer did not bother Braviary in the least.

The man began to pose as if he were a superhero. "I bet you youngsters are probably wondering who I am, no?"

Kiba shrugged. "Actually, we weren't," he said, making the man's face fall a little.

"But now that you mention it..." Kiba took a step forward, eyeing the man suspiciously. "You sound an awful like our other Young Pokémon Rangers instructor, Guy."

Upon hearing this, the man just chuckled, positioning himself into another silly pose. "I hate burst your bubble, but I am Braviary Man! My partner and I fight crime here to ensure the safety of both people and Pokémon around the world! Evil doers beware the mighty power of justice!"

"Braviary Man...was it? Well you're talking entirely too fast!" Kiba cried interrupting his speech before crossing his arms. "If you're talking about the Pokémon Liberation garbage take it somewhere else! If Pokémon hated battling they would just leave but they never do because they are made to battle!"

Shooting Kiba cold glare, Naruto turned toward Braviary Man stating. "No Pokémon aren't just for battling they can be our friends too!"

"I take it that you didn't agree with their sermon then?" Asked Braviary Man eyeing them.

Blaze folded her arms huffing. "I wouldn't actually call it a sermon it was more like propaganda! I bet those Council of Light knights are up to something and this whole Pokémon liberation nonsense is just a hoax! If people listen to that dribble about releasing your Pokémon they'll never find out their true objection!"

Braviary Man turned to look at Sakura and Tenshi. "And do you two feel the same?"

Both girls looked at each other before replying "Yes," in unison.

"And do you all as well?" He turned towards the Pokémon, who all nodded.

To this, Braviary Man responded by turning his back towards the group. And then, almost as quick as he had turned his back, Braviary Man turned back towards the group shouting, "Magnificent!" while doing one of his signature poses.

"The five of you seem like great trainers, if your partners agree with you," he said. Then, he tapped his chin looking thoughtful for a moment. "I know! This deserves some sort of reward."

Kiba perked up. Pushing pass Naruto and Blaze, he held out his hands. "Now you're speaking my language! So, what do we get?"

Braviary Man reached into the fanny pack he carried, and tossed each of the trainers a pair of gloves similar to his. The boys were awarded a pair of blue gloves while the girls received a pair of red ones.

"I know what you're thinking; they look like an ordinary pair gloves, right?" Asked Braviary Man as the tweens tried on their new gloves.

Tenshi examined her closely, but nodded slowly. "Aside from the strange green orb that is," she answered while Shieldon peered at the gloves as well.

Braviary Man merely chuckled. "There not normal gloves my friends," he said, and the group just looked at him. "Allow me to explain; this is what we Rangers call Morphing Gear. It allows us to get up close with wild Pokémon with our partners. By shouting out 'transform!', one will be able to transform into various costumes designed to enhance human capabilities."

Kiba looked at Braviary Man. "Let me get this straight: so if we use these, then we'll be like super heroes...?"

Braviary Man nodded. "Even capturing new teammates for your team becomes easier." He chirped, posing again.

Kiba just crossed his arms. "I'm going to need some sort of proof if you don't mind."

Braviary Man was about to speak again when his Xtransceiver rang.

"Well, children, it seems that I have business to take care else where," he said. "But before I go, remember to pump your fist into the air, and shout out the magic words in order to morph. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to morph at will just like me."

"Braviary, let's go!" he called to his partner, who with a single nod, followed him.

The group watched as Braviary Man and his partner ran off into a different location, leaving them to pounder about what had just happened. Deciding that they should just forget about the encounter with Council of Light, the group went to check out their new Pokémon catching gear on the beach. However, Kiba wanted to grab a quick bite to eat before doing anything else. Apotos had very few buildings, probably no more than twenty of them. None of them appeared to be a restaurant, much to the disappointment of Kiba, who was more looking forward to eating than any of her companions. The five found themselves in front of what appeared to be a small school.

"Maybe we can ask someone inside if they know where we can get some food around here," Sakura piped up, already heading towards it.

Her friends followed behind as she knocked tentatively on the door. A young woman with kind green eyes opened the door, offering her greetings, "Why hello there! Are you kids students at the academy?"

Tenshi replied, "Yes ma'am. We were wondering if you might know of a place that we can get some food. We would most appreciate it."

The woman shook her head, her short blond hair swishing as she did. "I'm sorry, but this town only depends on subsistence farming. We grow all the food we eat ourselves, neither buying nor selling any crops. Even this school gets its food from the farm tended by the daycare next door. However…" She opened the door wide, a smile on her lips. "You kids are more than welcome to join us. We occasionally get a handful of trainers coming by, so we always have a little extra food around. Please, do come in! My name is Hikaru; it's a pleasure to meet you all!" She stepped out of the way to let the teens in.

The group hesitated.

"Oh we really don't want to be a bother! We have to pay you for that then!" Sakura said, biting her lips.

The woman shook her head again, grinning. "No need! We accept stories of your travels and partnership with your Pokémon as payments. The kids absolutely adore hearing stories from trainers. It's one of their favorite things."

The group teenagers thought back to their time at the academy. There was the entry exams, and the current tournament taking place...

All of them visibly cringed. Surely they could find one good story out of it all.

Our heroes were ushered into the cozy little schoolhouse. It appeared to be for young children only, as every child there looked no more than 4 or 5 years of age. Upon seeing the older kids, the five young children rejoiced in their arrival, immediately swarming towards their visitors.

"Yay, more travelers! Akira is happy!" A little boy exclaimed who appeared to be referring to himself in third person.

"Yay, story time!" Gushed one little girl with a two bright ribbons in her hair.

"Hey, you guys want to see my Zigzagoon?" Another boy exclaimed eagerly.

"Yui, you're _always_ asking if people wanna see your Zigzagoon," A girl retorted.

"That's because my Zigzagoon is awesome!" Yui responded.

The last child, a quiet boy, merely nodded.

Hikaru laughed, "Come now children, let's not all try to talk to our guests at the same time!" She turned to the group, "We were actually just getting ready for lunch. Why not share some stories while we eat!"

"Alright! I'm up for it!" Kiba yelled enthusiastically, "I want to tell a story first!"

Both Sakura and Naruto sighed. Blaze crossed her arms. Tenshi giggled quietly, albeit a bit nervously.

When everyone received a plate of food and a small cup of milk, Kiba eagerly began to talk away about the entry exams, somehow recalling each detail with amazing clarity. At one point, the young children had completely abandoned their lunch, enthralled by Kiba's story. Even his friends were a bit surprised at his story telling skills. They had expected him to say something brash or inappropriate, but he appeared to have his words clean and straight. When he ended his story, he swigged down the rest of his milk, watching the children for their reactions. Almost all at once, they exploded in excited comments, completely impressed by him story of the battle. Of course, he had exaggerated some parts a bit, but it thrilled the children nonetheless.

"Wow that sounded way cool! I wish I was old enough to go to the academy!" The girl with the bright ribbons sighed.

"Your Pokémon sound so much cooler than the ones Akira and his friends see around here!" Akira added.

"That's not true! Apollo is pretty cool!" The other girl responded.

"No way Tania! My Zigzagoon is the best of the best!" Yui beamed.

"Yui, your Zigzagoon is _not_ cooler than Apollo!" Tania quipped.

Watching a pouting Yui, Naruto asked one of the other children, "Whose Apollo?"

The girl, named Tania, who had mentioned Apollo, piped up, "He's this huuugggeee pink Dragonair that lives near here! He's _this_ big!" At "this", the little girl opened her arms wide, trying to emphasize just how big Apollo was. However, it did not prove very effective, as she was so tiny.

"Tania, he is way bigger than that! You're too small!" Yui yelled.

"I'm not small! He's just too big for me!"

Sakura's ears perked at the mention of an oddly colored dragon. Naruto noticed that she seemed to be listening a bit closer. Deciding to satiate his friend's curiosity, Naruto asked, "Does Apollo come here often?"

It was the quiet boy who answered this time. "Oh…uh…yeah…he lives in a cave by the beach." He spoke so quietly that Tania and Yui's bickering nearly drowned out his voice.

Tenshi leaned in closer, smiling, "I couldn't hear what you were saying. What's your name? And can you say that again?"

The boy jumped before stuttering, "K...Kai. And…and Apollo lives near the beach."

"Well Kai, do you like Apollo?" The little boy simply responded with a nod of his head.

"We all love Apollo! He's the coolest!" Chi said.

"Akira agrees with Chi! Akira and his friends all love Apollo! When Apollo visits later, you can meet him!" Akira added.

Blaze coughed, "We would have loved to, but we need to get going as soon as possible. We don't want to stay and bother you all too long."

The kids whined in protest, trying to convince her otherwise. She glanced at Sakura, who seemed to be lost in thought. Furrowing her eyebrows, Blaze sighed, "However…I suppose being a little later won't do much harm."

The kids cheered, and Hikaru, who had simply been watching up until now, smiled, "Now children, finish your food so we can get back to our lessons. Apollo will come later, so we can busy ourselves with fun learning until then!"

Obediently, the children did as they were told before bounding back over to the learning area. The group followed them, watching from behind.

However, in the middle of doing sums on the whiteboard, the lights in the schoolhouse suddenly went out. Although the bright sunshine still came in through the windows, the sudden change shocked the kids, causing Kai to start crying. While Tenshi comforted the little boy, Hikaru got up to check the circuit breakers outside. However, when she opened the door, she was met with two people standing outside. It seemed like an argument was brewing between Hikaru and the new arrivals. Suddenly, she slammed the door closed and started to run back over to the kids. Not a moment later, a loud blast rocked the school, and the door splintered in the center, allowing whoever was outside to kick through the weakened wood.

The door snapped into pieces, allowing the intruders to enter the school. The five children huddled around their teacher, who glared defiantly at the two arrivals. Kiba felt a snarl rising up his throat as Blaze scowled in annoyance. Tenshi, Sakura, and Naruto stared at the intruders as well, getting ready to reach for a Pokéball. The academy students all had good reason for their cold reactions.

"What in Arceus' name are you jerks doing here?" Kiba growled, not minding his language.

He saw no need to in the presence of the two Council of Light grunts in front of her, who were none other than Sakon and Ukon, with looks of bewilderment on their faces. However, their expressions turned into dark smiles as they realized who was standing in front of them.

"Hello children. We believe you have something that belongs to us," Sakon purred, a wicked Cheshire grin spreading across his face.

Sakon and Ukon could not believe their luck. After their last skirmish earlier this morning, the two of them had fled, fearing Orochimaru's wrath. When their intimidating leader did not follow them out, or contact them, it dawned on them that they might have been deceived. After resting up for a while, and hearing about Musharna's disappearance, the two of them set out to find it, or a substitute Munna in her place as peace offering to Orochimaru.

So when they saw our heroes, it was as if their silent prayers were answered, if one could consider their violent desires as prayers. They stepped confidently into the dark room, with a Pokémon flanking behind them. Even though the grunts were at an average height, the oddly colored dragon creature stood up to their shoulders. Magenta scales covered the creature's body, and the Pokémon gave off an unusual electrical field.

"Apollo!" Hikaru cried out, managing to catch a glimpse of the dragon from behind her teacher's protective arms. The other children started to squirm around, trying to see their Pokémon friend.

"Wow, they weren't kidding when they said that that thing had a strange color," Kiba mumbled.

It was clear that this Pokémon was much different than the average run-of-the-mill Dragonair with shinning pink scales and all.

From Naruto's side, Tenshi frowned, "That Dragonair…it looks so hurt, doesn't it?"

Her words proved true upon closer inspection of the serpent-like creature. Electrical sparks emitted from his tense body every few seconds, and his face was twitching uneasily. The lashing of his tail sounded heavy and harsh upon the school house floor, as if it was ready to attack. The children suddenly rang up in protests.

"Apollo! Don't be sad Apollo!" Tania yelled.

"Hey, you made him sad, didn't you?" Akira accused.

"Big meanies! My Zigzagoon is going to beat you up!" Yui threatened.

Sakon wrinkled his nose in disgust. He had quite a list of things that he hated, and children were well near the top. His fingers itched for his stun-gun, which he remembered to bring with him this time- but he thought better of it. Instead, he gestured to the dragon Pokémon behind him, who slithered forward menacingly. With a loud battle cry, he shot out a series of lightning bolts, striking at random. The children screamed, and sounds of crying could be heard from Kai again. Standing their ground, our heroes took out their Pokéballs, dodging the attacks as they saw fit. One bolt landed dangerously close to Kiba, who had leapt out of the way in the nick of time.

"That's a Thunder wave. It's supposed to have great accuracy, but something seems to be bothering the Dragonair," Blaze warned.

Despite the attack, Sakura was staring at the Pokémon in silent awe, mouth slightly agape. With a sigh, Blaze nudged her contest partner, "Snap out of it! You can ogle that thing later. Let's get these kids out of here first, okay?"

Blaze tossed a Pokéball, summoning Pignite.

Foolish move.

The Dragonair's eyes seemed to burn with red anger, and he released another Thunder wave. In the horrifying seconds that ensued, Blaze could only watch as one of the wayward bolts struck her Pokémon, and Pignite squealed in pain before dropping forward, unmoving.

Cursing under his breath, Kiba ran through the list of his Pokémon, and tossed out his Zebstrika, Thor. At least he was immune to electrical type moves. Ukki-chan would be an ideal choice as well because of his speed, but Kiba decided now was not the time to sit and strategize. He saw Blaze kneel down to Pignite from his peripheral vision, and was about to send Thor to attack when Ukon spoke up.

"We don't really feel like fighting. Just hand over your Pokémon, mainly the Munna, and we won't attack anymore. Honestly, you're just making this too hard on yourselves, and you're only prolonging your Pokémons' suffering," he said dryly.

Kiba responded to his words by telling his Zebstrika to attack. Little damage was inflicted on the Dragonair, and the attack only seemed to make the Pokémon more incensed with the trainers. Although Pignite was merely paralyzed from the shock, Sakura was not willing to risk using Munna or any of her Pokémon. Blaze had already returned her Pignite, biting her lips. Calling on Munna would have been foolish at best, considering that the two criminals were indeed after her. She could only watch her comrades battle while trying to deter his attention from the incredible Dragonair in front of her.

The scene was chaotic. Apollo constantly shot off his Thunder wave, although fatigue appeared to be starting to seep through its system. Tenshi and Naruto had Magnemite and Pansage countered with their own attacks, which did not seem to prove very effective against the raging dragon. Sakon and Ukon did nothing to provoke or calm Apollo, allowing his attacks to slowly destroy the schoolhouse.

The occupants of the room realized, too late, that the attacks had weakened the support beams of the ceiling. Naruto tackled Tenshi out of the way just as a chunk of the ceiling fell down; crashing into the spot the girl had been standing in moments before. However, her head remained unprotected, and it cracked against the ground as she fell, and Tenshi's vision wavered. Naruto inwardly cursed himself for not protecting her head, and use his body to cover hers as the ceiling continued to cave in.

Sakura was still mildly distracted by the Dragonair, and moved to safety by Kiba and Blaze's lead. The three of them covered their heads and necks and waited for the ceiling to stabilize. Hikaru protected her charges as best as she could. An uncomfortable feeling wafted in the atmosphere as the roof continued to cave in. Finally, the noise and falling particles stopped, and everyone tried to catch their breath.

Tenshi's head throbbed painfully, and she felt her mind on the brink of consciousness. She struggled to stay awake, forcing her eyes to open. She saw Naruto still over her, but his demeanor alerted her that something was not right. He seemed to be shaking, a frustrated and pained expression on his face.

"I…I can't move," he gasped. As if his muscles suddenly snapped, he fell to the side, unmoving, but fully conscious.

Alarmed, Tenshi shot up to see if her friend was alright, only to have the brunt of her concussion hit her, sending her falling back to the ground. Her mind swirled in a dark pool of water. She felt nauseous all over, feeling her muscles locking up slightly as well.

Sakura and Blaze found themselves in similar situations, unable to move, discovering that their muscles and nerves were not working. Hikaru suddenly collapsed, much to the shock of her students, who all started to exclaim her name in worry. Sakon laughed, finding the scene extremely satisfying.

"We have got to get ourselves an electric type. Thunder wave is such a useful move," he smirked, directing her words at the paralyzed tweens.

She sauntered over to Naruto, who was glaring at her with as much venom as he could manage in his state. He uttered a sharp growl in his throat as Sakon reached down to unclip his three Pokéballs, and grabbing Zorua and Akamaru. Poor Tenshi did not realize that Sandra also took her Pokéballs. Sakon inspected the Pokéballs before chucking one of them back at Naruto's head.

"I have no need for another Tepig. You can keep that one." he returned Zorua into her Pokéball and Pansage and Akamaru into theirs with a smirk.

Ukon took his time searching Kiba and Sakura, swiping their Pokéballs as well. He did not mind manhandling Sakura, much to Naruto and Kiba's disgust. Without even caring to search Blaze, Ukon grunted, looking at Sakura's Pokéballs instead. A sly grin spread across his features, and he held up one of the Pokéballs.

"Found the Munna. The pink haired one had it. What do we do about her?" Ukon pointed to Blaze.

Sakon flashed him a triumphant smile, "Just leave it, we have what we wanted." he turned to address the paralyzed victims. "See how easy that was? We'll head out on our way now. Ta-ta!" he sneered, walking towards the door, where a tired Dragonair began retreating out the doors.

Ukon followed, whistling some off-tune melody, mockingly closing the half destroyed door on his way out.

It took our heroes about half an hour to finally break out of their paralysis. Hikaru also recovered, bringing relief into the hearts of the crying children. She immediately phoned the Apotos Police Department, alerting them about what had happened.

Tenshi had slipped out of consciousness during that time, leaving a very guilty and enraged Naruto next to her. Shieldon was kneeling at her side, checking his trainer for injuries. Although he saw none, seeing his trainer unconscious did not settle well in his stomach.

Sakura sat down near Kiba, rubbing the areas that had touched her with discomfort. That was the second time she encountered the horrid teen, and neither experience was a pleasant one. While he did not exactly violate her, his touch was not a kind one.

Kiba watched as Naruto played with his Tepig's Pokéball, the one sole Pokémon that was spared. Realizing something, he stood up. "Blaze, you still have your Pokémon right? We're going after those creeps and getting our Pokémon back. Sakura, stay here with Tenshi."

Naruto felt a twinge of guilt in his heart again. He would make it up to Tenshi by getting her Pokémon back with Kiba and Blaze. She and the children seemed unaffected by the Thunder wave, no doubt because they had a human shield over them. So if she had not hit her head, she could have resisted Sakon, even if it would not have done her much good.

With a steely gaze, Blaze stood up, nodding firmly. Sakura's eyes flickered between her friends before she nodded his head in the affirmative. She watched Naruto, Kiba, and Blaze quickly exit through the decimated door before casting her eyes back down on Tenshi. Biting her lip slightly, she picked up her head and placing it back down gently onto one of the pillows that had not been crushed.

She stood up, and turned to Hikaru and said, "Take care of my friend, please." before heading out the doors.

Naruto, Kiba and Blaze ran down the dirt path, keeping a sharp eye on the slither marks engraved into the ground. It was a stroke of for the academy students that the criminals had not bothered to erase their trail. Better yet, from the pattern of the tracks, they were not moving very fast. The path led them to the entrance of a dark cave by the ocean. The air inside the cave was dank and humid, though not unpleasant. The three friends stepped in cautiously, their ears perking to the sound of water bubbling nearby. Then, the sound of yelling came.

"This stupid Dragonair isn't listening to us anymore. I knew wild Pokémon were a pain," Came Sakon's irritated voice.

"And whose fault is that? What do we do with the thing?" Retorted Ukon.

"We'll just have to persuade the thing to listen to us," The edge in Sakon's voice told the three trainers that he had nothing diplomatic in mind.

Remaining as quiet as they could, the three of them dashed towards the sound of the voices, ducking behind a large boulder as they listened. Suddenly, a cry of pained rage echoed through the chamber, and Kiba let out a small growl. Seeing that he was about to run around the boulder, Naruto shot out an arm to restrain him, emphasizing their need to stay hidden by gesturing with a blunt shushing motion.

"We need to come up with a plan before we go charging in like that," Naruto whispered, fingering his Pokéball again. He nodded his head at Blaze, "Okay, let's go."

Blaze nodded, beginning the search for her own Pokéballs. She withdrew all three, clutching them tightly in her hands, knowing she might need them at a moment's notice.

A sudden force hit the boulder they were hiding behind, sending chunks of rock flying everywhere. Blaze screamed, covering her head. Naruto let out his own surprised yelp, realizing the mistake that they had made. He risked a glance around the boulder. Relief washed over him when he saw that Sakon and Ukon were too preoccupied with trying to control the enraged Dragonair. However, dangerous bolts of electricity were shooting all over the cave, illuminating the damp walls with blinding light. Naruto took this chance to get closer to the struggling criminals, gesturing at Blaze and Kiba to come out of hiding as well.

"Wow, you guys can't possibly be Council of Light members. Pokémon just _hate_ you two," Kiba smirked, grabbing their attention.

Sakon snarled, turning around, leaving Ukon with the crazed Dragonair. Only now did he notice that they were both armed with stun clubs, and that Dragonair was trying to swipe them away. Naruto heard Blaze gasp again, followed by the sound of a Pokéball snapping open. Pansear appeared in a shower of light, ready to battle.

"Leave Apollo alone!" Blaze snapped, trembling.

Somehow, Naruto sensed that her trembling was not only caused by anger. Without hesitation, he threw out his own Pokéball, watching his Tepig materialize in front of him, snorting sparks of fire from his nose.

Apollo started retreating while Sakon suddenly hissed something at him. Although ennui weighed down on Apollo's movements, for reasons neither of the tweens could understand, Apollo suddenly stopped retreating, and surged forward again, a new, desperate spark in his eye. Naruto felt his heart go out to the abused creature, suddenly having second thoughts about fighting the Dragonair. Blaze mirrored his thoughts, her anger dissipating.

She took a step forward, "Apollo! Come on Apollo, you don't have to fight! Just let us battle them! We can free you!"

She held out her arms welcomingly, and saw hesitation in Apollo's eyes for a moment. He lifted himself to take a timid step towards Blaze, but a gunshot rang through the cavern, shocking him. Suddenly, all he could see was red, and shot a Hyperbeam assault directly at Blaze. The deadly attack did not hit her; however, another figure had appeared in front her.

Moaning from the mild scrapes she received from her fall, Blaze tried to get back up. Looking up, Blaze found Sakura standing in front of her. Red-faced, Blaze scowled, "Sakura what are you doing here? You're supposed to looking after Tenshi! And, what are you wearing...?"

Blaze stared at Sakura's strange outfit; Sakura wore a rather large and floppy sorcerer's hat with a little Mew charm dangling from the end. The hat itself was white with various patterns of gold and teal covering it. Along with a pair of black tights, and matching white and teal boots and gloves, Sakura wore a medium sized coat with the same designs at the hat. However, there was also a small pair of wings on the back of the coat, which was split down towards the end for easier movement. In her hand Sakura held a long scepter, but was currently protecting Blaze with magical green barricade.

"I figured out how to activated my Morphing gear," Sakura answered. "I think this one is called the Mystic Knight Morph."

"Uh, now's not the time for that," Naruto said noticing the enraged Dragonair.

But Sakura had already turned her attention to the dragon. Her emerald gaze pierced through the Dragonair's confused ones.

Apollo faltered for a moment, shocked by the intensity of Sakura's glare. Some form of understanding seemed to flash through Apollo's mind, although the expression in Sakura's eyes was something the Dragonair had never seen. It was one of fury, but…respectful fury? It was as if Sakura projected all of her anger, disappointment, pity, and sense of respect into her glare, forcing Apollo to wallow in the sheer impact of it. The silent command was given, and Apollo's body crackled in electricity again. However, no pernicious shockwaves shot out from him. Instead, a static field flared out behind him, blanketing Ukon and Sakon. The two grunts suddenly collapsed, trembling.

"H…How dare that thing…" Sakon's hissing cut off, as he found it increasingly difficult to speak.

Shocked, Kiba gaped at the fallen criminals. Apollo had turned on his oppressors, stunning them with his own Thunder wave. After gathering his bearings, he approached Sakon, who was spitting insults at him in his broken voice. Kiba bent down and took back his Pokéballs back, retrieving the stolen capsules from Ukon as well.

Standing up, he smirked, "Déjà vu am I right?" Behind him, he heard a loud thud, and turned around to see Dragonair crumpled on the cave floor.

Sakura was already at the Pokémon's side, conjuring a potion for healing the creature. Surprising motley of expressions was present on his face. Rage. Disgust. Sorrow. Incredulity. Care. His face becoming calmer as the Apollo's condition seemed to improve with each emptied bottle of medicine.

Off in the distance, police sirens could be heard. The slamming of car doors proceeded the sounds of a stampede of shoes echoing through the cave walls. Flashlights swept the cave, a safe, stable light, illuminating the relief on the faces of the teens. Upon being questioned, Kiba explained the situation, and watched with immense satisfaction as the policemen roughly dragged Sakon and Ukon away.

With the excitement settling down, Sakura turned her attention back to Apollo. The Dragonair turned his head and gazed at the coordinator with tired eyes. Naruto stood next to Sakura, murmuring, "So what now? We can't just leave him here, the Council of Light will just come back."

"Maybe…I can take him with me," Sakura said simply.

Apollo jerked his head up, his gaze widening. He had been free and wild for so long, and he certainly did not want to give up his liberty like this. After the horrid abuse he had just faced, the last thing he wanted to do was to go with another human. However the Dragonair did not resist. The protests in his mind faded along with the pain from his wounds with each passing second. Without rhyme or reason, Apollo placed his head back down on the ground and closed his eyes, giving a short cry of approval.

That was all the answer Sakura was looking for as she held the scepter in her hand high into the air. Apollo disappeared within a flurry of green light, which died down, and was instantly captured in a Pokéball, which locked after only the first shake. The four trainers fell silent, listening only to the bustle of activity around them. Sakura stared at her new capture, feeling a strange happiness swell in her chest. A happiness so suffocating, that she could not help but pull her mouth into a smile.

Back at the academy, Sasuke paced around his dorm. Lee was out training, and Frost and Naruto were out as well. In other words, Sasuke the dorm to himself completely, without anything to do. As the young Uchiha sat down, staring absentmindedly at his ceiling. Memories of his encounter with Professer Orochimaru and the sages swam in his mind.

_What in the world did Orochimaru mean by me becoming their new king? _That was definitely the strangest, and most preposterous thing Sasuke had ever heard in his life.

Sasuke allowed his eyes to close, and he placed his arms over them, allowing his mind to drift. For as long as Sasuke could remember, he was raised alongside Pokémon like most inspiring trainers. His closest and only friends were Pokémon, and they kept him company while his parents were busy, or when Itachi was away at the academy. He listened to their tragic and horrifying stories of abandonment, abuse, and scorn by humans. Even if he didn't understand all of it. Having the ability to understand most Pokémon, Sasuke's battling skills improved, but he wouldn't exactly call it leadership material. However, that didn't mean he couldn't check out this so called society just for the fun of it.

Sasuke's blank face contorted into a mask of pain for mere seconds before it relaxed once again. He sat up from his bed, his stalwart decision made. If he intended to accomplish anything, he certainly would not get anything done lying around in his bed. Sasuke stood up from his bed, and stepped out his dorm, and released Golbat.

"You know where Apotos is right?" Sasuke asked the oversized bat creature, who nodded.

Sasuke smiled. "Good. I'm going to need to take me there."

The bat Pokémon bent down, allowing Sasuke to easily straddle his back. With another screech, he flew off, taking Sasuke to the destination he desired.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I'm pretty aware of the fact that I haven't updated in while. My fanfictions were really getting the way of my exams, so I had to put them off for a while. That, and I really wanted to update some of my other stories. And really, ninety six reviews? You guys and gals make feel like such a great author with all your support and comments. ^^

A lot happened in chapter; we got to see more Orochimaru's evil side, which was disturbing I might add, Sakura caught a shiny Dragonair named Apollo, Sasuke's Oshawott's evolved in a Dewott, some of our favorite trainers have a new way of capturing Pokémon called Morphing Gear, and because of a certain professor, I had to change the rating of this story. Blood isn't exactly something you would have in a K+ fiction as we all know. As stated in the story, the tournament is still on going, but the battle stages are currently being worked on to ensure that no trainer shall have an easy victory.

If you all wondering a little more about the Morphing Gear, it not only changes the wielder's appearance, it also enhances their abilities. Like for instance, Naruto's Miracle Shinobi morph; just like a real shinobi, he'll be able to walk on water, hide in shadows, create clones, run at top speed, walk across narrow ropes, and even perform a special jutsu that hurls a Pokéball at the target at an incredible speed. Sakura caught Apollo using the Mystic Knight morph with is much slower than the Miracle Shinobi, but specializes in powerful attack and sturdy defense. I have more morph outfits planned out for the gang, but rather than ruining the surprise, I'll just add some of them in when the time comes. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to voice your opinion in a review.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen: **Nightmares.

Climbing down from Globat's back, Sasuke looked around the streets of Apotos. The sun had already begun to set, so the locals were heading into their homes for the night. Sasuke recalled his Golbat, and began searching for anyone dressed as a knight. As luck would have it, two of them were standing in front of a large church with spears in their hands. The church had the same symbol of People of Faith, so he figured this was the perfect place to start. Sasuke approached them, and the two of them held up their weapons in a defensive manner.

"Hey kid, just what do you think you're doing?" The first one asked him. "This church in off limits to outsiders, so get lost."

"Where is he?" Sasuke asked. "Where's Orochimaru?"

The other guardsmen laughed. "Why would we tell you? You're just a child."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the two men, reaching for a Pokéball. If there was one thing he did not like, it was being called a child. Just as Sasuke was about to call out to his selected partner, the holo-phone of one the guards began to ring. Still holding the Pokéball in his hand, Sasuke stopped, and watched as a small hologram of Orochimaru appear on the phone.

"Just what are you two doing?" The image asked.

"M-Master Orochimaru…!" One of the guards sputtered. "This just came out of nowhere and we were about to…"

"And the two of you were about to stir trouble were you not?" Orochimaru answered for them, narrowing his yellow eyes. "You two know the rules. Battling is strictly off limits around the cathedral."

"Right…we're sorry," The guardsmen replied.

"Now, as for child, let him through. I've been…expecting him," Orochimaru peered at Sasuke from the corner of his eye, and then turned his attention back towards the guards.

"Right," The first guard hung up his phone, and then stepped to the side so that Sasuke could pass through. "Our leader has requested a meeting with you. In other words, we'll need for you to come with us."

Sasuke didn't say anything, but he was still skeptical about the whole meeting with Orochimaru. On the outside, the church appeared to be a beautiful place where people come to worship and pray together, which was harmless itself. The guards lead the young Uchiha out back to a cemetery and pushed aside one of the tombstones, uncovering a hidden passage. The guards had then lead Sasuke down a long corridor that stretched a pretty long distance. Within the next ten minutes, and after walking in silence the entire time, the guards stopped in front of a set of large doors.

"Well, this is it," One of the guards said, and then with that, him and his partner left to take their positions back at the entrance of the church.

Sasuke looked at the doors for a while, his hand hovering about the knob as if he were waiting for something. After about a minute, the young Uchiha turned the knob and entered the room.

"Ah, Sasuke…" Orochimaru said as the dark haired trainer walked slowly. "I've been expecting you."

"Why me?" Sasuke asked, earning a surprised look from the yellow eyed man. "Why do you want me to become your king?"

"It is what Musharna foretold us," Orochimaru answered. "She foretold the sages of boy with dark hair and eyes who lead the our clan, and eventually the world into the liberation of Pokémon, creating the ideal world for us all."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I see…"

"However, you must seek out and capture the Yang Dragon." Orochimaru said. "And if you wish to accomplish such a task, you must first become our clan's king. Our grunts will stop at nothing to make your dreams come true."

Sasuke thought to himself for a second. Having Reshiram by his side didn't sound so bad…it would defiantly make his dream taking down Itachi easier. But liberating the Pokémon of others would eventually leave the world empty of challengers to battle, and gain experience. As Sasuke continue to ponder his thoughts, Dewott released himself from his ball. Sasuke figured that his partner had picked up his senses, and was ready to talk him out of it. Sure enough, when Dewott appeared, he frowned at Sasuke.

"Dewott…De…!" ("Sasuke-san, are you out of your mind? You can't join this man in his quest for liberation!") The otter replied, waving his arms.

In a low voice, Sasuke whispered to him. "I know what this looks like," he said. "But, I'm only using Orochimaru to get what I want, which is power."

Dewott crossed his arms in a huff before replying, "Dewott…" ("There are other ways to get power you know…")

It was Sasuke's turn to frown. "Don't give me that look. And besides, I'm doing this for you and the rest of the team as well. Just think about; we'd be unstoppable with a legendary teammate by our side."

And in order to do that, he'd have to play his cards right.

Dewott didn't seem convinced, but he knew Sasuke wanted him, and well as the others to become stronger. After about a second our two, Dewott nodded, showing Sasuke that he understood what he meant. Sasuke gave him a short nod, and then stood up to face Orochimaru.

"Okay, you've convinced me," he said to yellow eyed man. "I'll become your king."

Orochimaru smirked. "Excellent…but first, we'll need for you do something." With a snap of finger, Sakon and Ukon appeared. The two of them held onto a tray, in which a jewel-incrusted grail sat upon.

From there, Orochimaru motioned for Sasuke to come closer, which he did slowly. Orochimaru handed Sasuke the golden cup, which was filled to the brim with a strange crimson colored liquid. "To become one of us, you must first drink this,"

Sasuke looked into the cup, and then held his nose as he swallowed whatever was in the cup. When it was empty, he placed it back onto the tray and the twins exited the room with it. Sasuke suddenly felt himself getting nauseous and images of that dark ghost-like creature flashed in his memory as his head began to throb in pain. Sasuke let out a grunt as Orochimaru stood up from his throne.

"What was in that drink you gave me?" Sasuke asked as he held his head in pain.

"Never that," Orochimaru placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "It will wear off by the time the ceremony begins."

Orochimaru lead Sasuke to a different part of the underground castle. As the two of them walked along the corridor, Sasuke's vision began to blur. Briefly, he looked up to Orochimaru only to see another image of the dark creature. Doing a double take, Sasuke blinked, and then look back up to find his History Professor staring back down at him.

"The effects are taking fast than I had anticipated…" he said, quickening his pace. "Come young Sasuke, we must hurry."

_Effects…?_ Sasuke thought as he followed Orochimaru. _Just what was in that drink?_

Meanwhile, in a different part of the underground castle, a very different meeting was being held. A youth of twelve was seated in front of a mirror, while two young women were bustling around him, doing last minute adjustments of his hair and clothes. Both woman seemed exhausted, no doubt from years of mediocrity and hard work. Ever since the death of their dear Lady Xia, life at the castle was dull and cold. Life seemed to turn surreal and pointless, with no clear direction or purpose. Their last hopes of a meaningful existence rested in the stately young man sitting in front of them, the very boy who will bring a glorious future to the Council of Light, and perhaps bring purpose to the organization's goals by their king's side.

The man gazed at the two women in the mirror with his sea blue eyes and asked in a patient voice, "Lady Miranda, Lady Angel, are preparations finished yet?"

Miranda smiled into the mirror with tired eyes, fluffing the tween's snowy hair one last time before answering, "You look splendid, Sir Frost. Your mother would have been proud."

Frost blinked slowly. He had rarely heard things about his mother, and when he did, they were always vague statements, such as the empty compliment Miranda had just given him. He stood up as Angel fetched a glamorous golden sword, decorated with intricate designs and expensive gems, which she preceded to hand it to him.

A knock was heard at the door of the dressing room, which Angel answered. One of the knights, Kabuto, was at the door, and he bowed his head, asking, "Is Sir Frost ready?"

Frost turned to the knight, who immediately bowed deeply. "Sir Frost, we are all waiting for you to hand the crown over to our new king. Please come with me."

The young man nodded and walked out the door, with both Angel and Miranda holding up his long cape, so that it would not touch the floor as he walked. The other knights were waiting for him, and they all followed him. The group promenaded towards the coronation hall. The grand doors to the hall opened, and Frost was met with the site of the thousands of members of the Council of Light. The group proceeded down along the navy blue carpet, walking regally to the golden throne that waited at the end of the enormous hall.

All around, murmurs of excitement and anticipation were heard as members of the Council of Light watched their future king's first knight was being escorted to their new leader's grand throne. Frost kept his head down as he walked lost in his thoughts. He reminisced in the memories of the dear Darmanitan his mother had told him of when she was alive, and friends with as a young girl…the sweet Raichu who had suffered so much…all the lost and hurt Pokémon she befriended. All these Pokémon had to endure the cruelty of humans; they had to endure the pain, the abuse, the abandonment, and the insults. Humans they trusted and loved eventually casted them aside like useless scum and trash. Remembering these Pokémon, Frost recalled his true purpose in life, the reason he was here today.

He had finally reached the throne, and saw his father waiting for him. Was that pride he saw in his father's eyes? Pride that his son was finally ready to fulfill his duty of liberating the Pokémon of this world from the hands of oppressive trainers? Yes, that must be it.

For Frost's only purpose in life was to become a great trainer, and if he was lucky, command one of the legendary Pokémon into battle. He stepped up to the throne where Sasuke was already seated and turned around to face the masses that had congregated for his coronation. Beside him, his father, Orochimaru, stepped forward, his commanding voice echoing through the colossal hall as he delivered his speech.

"Fellow brethren of the Council of Light, I thank you all today for joining us at this momentous occasion! Today, you shall witness the crowning of a king: your new king! Young Sasuke has agreed to take over as the ruler of our magnificent society, and to fulfill his innate duties as the liberator of Pokémon from mankind!" Orochimaru turned to face his son, receiving a sword from him. It sparked from the magnificent lights illuminating overhead. "So, from this moment forward, I appoint thee, Uchiha Sasuke, as the new ruler of Council of Light!"

Frost watched as his father surrender the sword, and then placed a medallion similar to his own over Sasuke's head as a vehement cacophony of applause erupted through the halls. Every member of the Council of Light was cheering loudly for their new king, feeling as if their decades of hard work have finally paid off, and that the organization's true purpose will arise from the dust of their labors. Miranda and Angel watched uneasily, still apprehensive about the situation. Was this really what they had wanted? What the world needed? They did not know anymore.

Frost glared at the Uchiha boy, who had begun waving to his new subjects. Sasuke's expression was still stoic and emotionless, without any hint of excitement or enjoyment in the cheers of the people. This was his dream, and Sasuke had no right to just waltz in and take it. The snowy haired trainer would spend the course over the next few days planning his revenge.

Orochimaru, on the other hand, felt himself inwardly smirk—he had found the perfect king for his people.

Yes, after years of sweat and blood, his dreams were finally becoming a reality...

Meanwhile, down the streets of Apotos, a police car sped carrying two new prisoners back towards the local prison for questioning. The prisoners, Sakon and Ukon, stayed silent, and made no attempts to resist against the handcuffs that were bound around their wrists. Every so often, the two would gaze out of the tinted windows of the car, watching the blur of the passing countryside.

The car suddenly came to a screeched to a halt, and the driver spoke, "What in Arceus' name…?" he asked, scratching the back of his head.

He stuck his head out of the window in order to get a better look at the young man that was blocking his path. The young man in question had a black mask over his mouth and was dressed in a black, sleeveless full-bodysuit, tied off with a white sash at the waist, much like the garbs of a ninja. A black headband was visible underneath his shock of pure white hair and vivid green eyes.

The policeman just rolled his eyes, mumbling, "Kids today and their wacky fashion…" Then, raising his voice, he called out to the stranger, "Oi kid! You shouldn't stand in the middle of the road like that. Please step aside…"

He was suddenly cut off by a second stranger, with black hair. Having been knocked unconsciousness by the newcomer, the policeman slumped down into the seat of his car. The side door of the patrol car flung open, letting in the bright sunlight into the prisoner's hold. A third stranger stood outside, glaring frostily at the captured the grunts.

"Sakon, Ukon. Master Orochimaru is not pleased with your actions. You are bringing disgrace to our clan," The one with white hair spoke.

By then, Sakon was already stepping out of the car, muttering, "Yeah whatever," he stared at the three men. "Thanks for saving our tails. I wasn't actually expecting the Shadow Triad to save us after our last slip-up."

One of Triad quipped, "Don't expect it again. Now come, we are returning to Master Orochimaru. He would like to speak to you both."

Ukon flinched. He knew that they were in for quite the punishment after the stunts they pulled. He glanced at Sakon, whose lips were curled in annoyance. "Well, at least remove these handcuffs before we report back," Sakon demanded.

The Triad ignored him, one of the men grabbing his arm and disappearing in an instant. Ukon sighed. He was not looking forward to his master's tirade. He felt a tight grip on his arm, and in an instant, the seaside town of Apotos blurred from his view.

The lingering Triad member glanced around the area to search for spies before disappearing himself, leaving the unconscious police in his car at the side of the road.

Back with our heroes, Tenshi had finally come to her senses.

"You came back!" Came her enthusiastic voice as her friends stepped back into the ruined schoolhouse.

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, seeing her awake and jubilant. Sakura, on the other hand approached her smiling.

"Thank goodness you're awake," she said, "We were starting to get worried." Sakura dug through her purse, retrieving a single Pokéball and handing it to the surprised girl. "We got Shieldon and the others back as well."

With wide eyes, Tenshi babbled, "Wait what...? What exactly happened while I was out?" She searched Naruto and Sakura's eyes for an answer. Naruto sighed, recounting the events of the past hours to her.

Tenshi listened intently; disappointed that she had missed out on so much action. She turned her attention to Sakura, grinning, "A Dragonair huh?"

The two of them shared a knowing glance. She was about to chat a little more with Sakura about her newest partner a little more when Tania burst out, "Wait, you caught Apollo?"

Sounds of shock and protest rang through the room, and Hikaru tried to calm the children. Sakura's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and a flash of guilt flitted through her eyes. Knowing that Sakura searched for the right words, Blaze obliged for her.

"Look, I know you're upset, but Sakura was doing that for the good of Apollo. You see, he was terribly hurt by those grunts just now," she explained, sugar-coating her voice. "Sakura saved him, and Apollo agreed to let her capture him. I'm sure she will take good care of your friend. I'm sure Sakura and Apollo will visit you all every once in a while, ok?" she smiled at the children's sad faces.

Slowly, Hikaru responded, "I…I guess…if Apollo is safe…" she trailed off, looking down at the ground.

Yui puffed out his chest, "We still have my Zigzagoon! Someday, he will be as big as Apollo is!"

"Big sister Sakura is so nice!" Chi chirped, with a nod of agreement Kai.

"Akira is glad Apollo has someone nice taking care of him now!"

A look of authentic surprise lighted up Sakura's face, and she found herself smiling at the group of children. From there, she held up the Pokéball close to her body.

"I promise to keep Apollo safe along with my other partners," she said. "And together, we'll only get stronger."

After saying good bye to the children, the group decided that it was best if they returned to the academy since Tenshi was still winded from her accident. She insisted that she was fine, and did not need to seek medical treatment, and after compromising with her friends, she agreed to visit the infirmary as soon as they returned the academy. On their way back to the academy, the group passed by a rather large Catholic church. While the others just simply walked pass the building, Naruto took a few seconds to stop and stare before joining his friends.

Behind the walls, and below this church, Sakon and Ukon returned to the confines of the Council of Light underground castle to face Orochimaru. Now that they were actually back in the castle, the fear of the severity of their situation crashed on them, and the two grunts were afraid for the first time in a long time.

The Shadow Triad led them through the munificent halls of the castle, escorting them curtly to Orochimaru's room. They gestured the two grunts into the dark room before disappearing in a flash. Sakon and Ukon's eyes darted to the center of the room, where a dim spotlight illuminated a velvet chair that their leader was currently occupying.

"You two have caused quite a commotion around town," he stated, a light quality to his voice. "Tell me, did I not say to keep your missions discreet?"

The two bowed their heads apologetically, muttering, "We're sorry, Master Orochimaru. We have committed grave mistakes, please forgive us."

"The police were involved this time, were they not?" he asked, a dangerous tone creeping into his voice.

There was brief moment of silence before Orochimaru spoke again.

"So tell me, what reason should I have to forgive you for nearly ruining my…_our_ magnificent plans?" he asked bitterly.

The grunts continued to hold their silence, feeling cold sweat run down their neck. Their hearts skipped a beat when they heard a crack of a Pokéball opening. Suddenly, their bodies were lifted into the air, and both Sakon and Ukon yelled in shock. Orochimaru's Cofagrigus waved his ghostly hands about, casting the Psychic that suspended the shocked grunts in the air.

Orochimaru's face was contorted into a mask of disgust and anger, and he shouted, "What reason should I have to keep such useless trash amongst my prestigious group? I most certainly expected much, _much _more out of you two, Sakon, Ukon." The venom in his voice stabbed into the pair.

Now, the twins knew they were not useless. They were, in fact, one of the several members of the Council of Light most trusted by Orochimaru, and were far more efficient in their work then a majority of their comrades. Sakon's spite had gotten the best of him, and he knew he had to rectify his actions before Ukon, who willingly followed his twin's plans, had to suffer for them too.

"Master Orochimaru, sir, I take full responsibility for the incidents," he gasped. "But we were stopped by a group of trainers who had the strangest luck of running into us while we were working. They proved to be most meddlesome," he desperately tried to explain.

Orochimaru was about to deal a painful blow to the defenseless grunts when something clicked in his brain. "Trainers…you say?" he narrowed his eyes. "Did one of them have spikey blond hair?"

Eyes widening, Sakon blurted, "Y…Yes Master! He had a Zorua and Gengar, and wore an orange and black jersey. One of the others-"

"I don't care about the other brats, only him!" Orochimaru growled. He gestured to his Cofagrigus, which released his psychic grip. Sakon and Ukon landed painfully on the ground, but suddenly snapped their attention back on Orochimaru.

"I'm…going to give you two one last chance," The yellow eyed man glared, "Your new king, Sasuke and I is busy training for the academy's tournament. Before the day is up, I will need for the two of you to either track down Musharna or the brat with the blond hair for me."

"Br…bring him?" Ukon narrowed his eyes, "You mean…"

"I mean by _any_ means necessary, you dolt," Orochimaru snarled. "And while you're at it, I withdraw the orders to stay discreet. Stir up chaos if you please. In fact, tell everyone you encounter," he grinned, "That you did not get the orders from me."

Sakon's lips pulled into a sneering smile as he understood Orochimaru's intentions. He suddenly bent down to one knee, in a knight's bow, with Ukon quickly following in suit.

"Thank you, Master Orochimaru, for giving us another chance. We will not fail you this time," Sakon promised suavely, excitement dancing in his heart. He will not let a group of trainers; especially Entei students get the best of his temper this time.

"See that you don't. Now leave."

On the same day of Sakon and Ukon's departure, the leader of Team Magma, also known as Hitoshi Kito walked into his private quarters of the Team Magma base on his usual time. He stopped in front of a plated door, punching the correct pin. While doing so, he felt unusually groggy. Groaning, he walked into the room sluggishly. Nothing seemed to really register in his mind, and the tall man lumbered from the entrance and downstairs to the kitchen area.

His wife, Sarel, was there and cooking dinner. When her husband came into the room, she seemed to tense slightly. "Good evening, honey. I decided to cook a little something special for you. It will be ready in a few minutes!" She did not turn to him, as if completely preoccupied with the shallots she was frying.

With a grunt of acknowledgement, Kito sat down, blinking the sleep out of his eyes with little success. He noticed that it was nearly six o' clock, and Karin had not called or arrived back from her little 'trip' with her uncle.

"Where's Karin? It's unusual of her not to call. Is she really that upset about not getting to go with her friends to the academy? She needs to understand that she isn't ready for something like this. There are a lot of horrible people out there that can harm her! She's simply not ready." He got up and headed out of the kitchen. "I'll go and call Salem to see if his boat arrived in Slateport," he declared.

Sarel sighed, continuing to cook. She was not surprised in the least when she heard her husband's roar a moment later.

"Why won't you pick up!"

Sarel barely had time to sigh before her husband was back at the threshold of the kitchen, huffing in anger. "Just what is going on?" Kito demanded his teeth gritted in anger.

"She left for the academy months ago with her friends," Sarel sighed, scooping the shallots into a bowl of rice and other vegetables.

"And you _let_ her go?" Kito roared, throwing his arms into the air.

Sarel brought the plates of food to the table and sat down. "Well of course. She wanted to go, she was packed and ready, and it would be a good experience for her." She began to eat her food.

"P…Pac, re, ready…go…good experience?" the enraged man sputtered, completely flabbergasted. "You _endorse_ this?" he gaped.

"Yes. Yes I do, _Kito_," she looked at him, firmly continuing, "Our daughter is nearly thirteen years old. You can't keep treating her like she's only 5. She's capable of thinking for herself, and she's with friends. They'll all take care of each other. Most importantly, this would be an opportunity for her to grow as a woman. Everyone goes to the academy at that age. Do you really think that Karin would have stayed put when her best friends are going?" Having finished speaking, she went back to her dinner, eating nonchalantly.

"Do you hear yourself speak? Sarel, this is utterly ridiculous! I'm going to hunt her down right now!" In his dizzied rage, he turned around and smacked his head into the threshold. Giving a grunt of pain, he clutched at his head, stumbling towards the dining table.

Sarel watched in exasperation, commanding, "Sit. You will _not_ hunt your own daughter like she's some prized Unfezant. Sit and eat your food. You most certainly don't look like you can go out anytime soon.

Still clutching his head, Kito angrily stabbed his food and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing furiously. Arceus, if only he had taken the time to actually talk to his brother-in-law.

Sarel finished her breakfast and announced that she was going over to her friend's house. Without waiting for a reply from her husband, she placed her dishes in the sink, slipped her sandals on, and left the house to board a small ferry.

After sailing a short distance to Sootopolis, she arrived at the home of Mezu Hōzuki. After she ran the doorbell, Mezu, a woman with short white hair, opened the door. "Sarel! What a surprise. How are you today?" she said, stepping aside to gesture her friend into her house.

"Fine, I suppose. Karin left about a few months ago, so I do miss her quite a bit," she sighed, walking into the house. "So how about Suigestsu? How do you feel about him leaving home?"

Mezu smiled sadly, "Well, I do miss him already as well, but he were just so excited about attending the academy. For that, I'm happy for him." She walked over to her couch before raising her eyebrows. "Wait, your husband actually let Karin go?"

"Well, no. Kito exploded when he found out, as expected. But the man needs to learn to let her go. Her sister Kanako was the same age when she left to pursue her dreams." Sarel replied.

"Karin is a lucky girl, to have been able to sneak out like that. Kito has always been such an early riser, even when we were kids." Mezu sighed a little.

Sarel pursed her lips, shifting her eyes all around. She leaned in towards Mezu, whispering, "I lied and told him that Karin was traveling with my brother for a while. In order for her to sneak out, I had to spike Kito's drink the morning she left."

Mezu gaped at Sarel's words before bursting into loud laughter. After seeing the sparkling look in her friend's eyes, Sarel smiled, now very glad that she had done what she had done. She only hoped that Karin was enjoying herself.

"Oh yes! I just remembered, Nami came by earlier. Apparently, she had bought some outfits for Ami and her Pokémon, and wanted me to deliver them," she gestured to a pile of clothes.

With a whistle, Sarel commented, "How typical of Nami. That woman spoils her daughter with clothes."

"Well, Ami isn't the only one to get them. She got quite a few things for Karin and the boys as well."

Sarel pursed her lips, "Well, the kids already left a while back, and will probably outgrow them if we wait too long to deliver them."

Mezu whipped out her cellphone, starting to dial a number. "We can always call and find out how their doing," She held the phone to her ear, but pulled away after half a minute with a frown. "How strange…Suigestsu isn't answering."

"Well…" Sarel go up, heading towards the door, "I'm worried Kito will chase after Karin, so I should head back."

Mezu nodded, following her friend out. "Alright. Goodbye Sarel. You know," Mezu crossed her arms with a smirk, "Putting sleeping pills into you a guy's drink…I thought you stopped doing that after we graduated from the academy?" For a moment, she flashed a teasing grin at Sarel, feeling a wave of nostalgia wash over her.

Sarel chuckled, "It's not like I _did_ something to him this time…"

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"Yeah Mom. Ami and I are getting close to becoming the winners of the tag team Contest Portion," A girl no more than twelve chirped into her cellphone, grinning widely.

The particular Coordinator has red eyes, matching hair color, and an unusual hairstyle: her hair is short, pointy, and unkempt on the right side, while it is long, pin-straight and combed on her left side. On her face sat a pair of brown glasses, along with a white t-shirt with a short black vest over it, a pair of blue jeans, and pair of red sneakers with neon green laces.

"That's great dear! My goodness, you'll be traveling the regions in no time!" Her mother replied.

Sarel had been frantic that her daughter had called the day after the tournament began, and practically pounced on the phone when it rang. She was genuinely surprised that Karin had already won the first round. Knowing her friends, they were participating as well.

"Well my friends were competing, so I didn't want to feel left out," Karin explained.

Of course it was her friends. Now it made sense. "I know you probably want to head over to the training area for a while but do you think you could stay put for a while?" laughed Sarel. "Besides, I only have this chance to sneak out."

Karin raised her eyebrows, "Sneak out? What do you mean?"

"Well…your father isn't in a very good mood right now…we mothers are trying our best to get around him. So stay safe. I'll talk to you later, bye!"

Karin was confused, but replied, "Alright, I will Mom. Bye." She hung up the phone, shrugging her mother's words off.

A trainer with white hair and purple eyes known as Suigestsu had just gotten off the phone with his parents as well, smiling brightly. Suigestsu sported a short sleeved and high collared purple shirt which he wore unbutton with a long sleeved white shirt underneath. His pants were black, and so were his sneakers. Around his neck hung a pair of headphones also black, but with thin strips of purple on the sides.

"Sounds like Ami's mother has a present for us. She said that your mother was going to send it to us," he nodded to Karin.

Curious, Karin asked, "What is it? What're we going to get?"

Raising his eyebrows, Suigestsu teased, "I can't tell you. It's gotta be a surprise."

"Oh no, you're not going to giving me any of this 'surprise' dribble. Tell me what sh-"

"Masahiko Jūgo, Yutaka Ami, Hōzuki Suigestsu, Hitoshi Karin, your Pokémon are fully healed! You may pick them up at the main counter at this time!" A voice chimed out from the intercom.

Suigestsu pointed at the loudspeaker, smiling slyly before getting up from his seat and walking out of the cafeteria. Karin narrowed her eyes and growled, chewing her food with a scowl.

Ami, a Coordinator with crop purple hair sipped her drink, "I wonder what we're going to get?" Jūgo, a quiet trainer with spikey orange hair, shrugged his shoulders.

"Suigestsu is so stupid. I hate it when he does that. Arceus," Karin growled, finishing her food. "I'm going to get my Pokémon," she announced before walking out of the room. Ami got up and followed her out, Jūgo in tow.

At the main hall, the trainers retrieved their Pokémon. As they were about to leave, a woman burst into the Pokémon Center, her pink flats clacking against the floor. Nurse Shizune immediately stood up, asking, "Professor Misa, what's wrong?"

Professor Misa was a petite woman with a very cutesy face, appearing to be in her early 20s. The bangs of her long flowing brown hair were pulled back by a flower pin, revealing a large scar on her forehead. A pair of glasses sat on her nose, clearly showing the worried eyes behind them.

She clutched at her long white lab coat, worn over a pink shirt, and cried, "My Ralts is gone! She's been acting strange since yesterday, constantly glowing and whining, but then she suddenly disappeared just now. I haven't seen this kind of activity for nearly thirteen years! Not since-!" she trailed off, fists closing even tighter. "I think Ralts went back there. She has to be there!"

Nurse Shizune knitted her eyebrows in genuine worry, "This isn't good. That site is still a dangerous zone. We cannot authorize the sending of persons there at the moment."

Karin, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, "Whoa, whoa, what's going on?"

The two women looked at her, surprised by her interruption. "Who are you?"

Karin placed her hands on her hips with a sly grin. "Just a passing Coordinator. My name's Hitoshi Karin. This is Masahiko Jūgo," she gestured to the boy with bright orange hair, who waved casually.

"I'm Yutaka Ami," The purple haired girl waved.

"My name is Hōzuki Suigestsu," The white haired boy sighed, knowing he should not be interfering.

Professor Misa's eyes opened in recognition, "Did you say Hitoshi?" Her eyes scanned over Karin, blinking in surprise, "Do you happen to be related to Hitoshi Kanako?"

It was Karin's turn to be surprised. "How do you know my older sister?" she asked.

"Your sister? Oh dear…" Misa scratched her cheek, pouting. "Perhaps I should explain from the beginning. My name is Professor Misa. Twelve years ago, I was helping my father with a project called Dreams for Energy. Though young, Kanako was the head of the whole operation, which is how I knew her." She paused to see Karin's stunned reactions before continuing, "With immense funding from The Council of Light, we began to research the Pokémon Ralts and properties of dream energy. However, the project did not end pleasantly, and seven years ago, our research lab was destroyed in a freak accident." She fell silent before softly saying, "The accident wounded everyone, and killed some of the scientists, including-"

"My sister," Karin breathed. Suigestsu twitched, shoving his hands into his pockets. Both of them had heard the sad news of Karin's sibling's passing seven years ago. They did not know the details about her death, but they did know about the place she was killed in.

Misa nodded solemnly, speaking almost in a whisper, "I'm so sorry…"

Seeing that Karin had nothing else to say, Misa finished, "No one has gone near that site since then. But I had taken one of the surviving psychic Pokémon home with me, and I noticed that she has been acting strangely since yesterday. I figured that she had teleported back to the site of the old lab. I need to go there, Nurse Shizune!" Misa looked at her with pleading eyes.

The nurse shook her head, reasoning, "Professor, there are many wild Pokémon in the area now, with enhanced strength from the residual dream energy from the explosion. We cannot allow civilians near there!"

"But…"

"We can go with her."

All heads snapped to the voice. Jūgo continued, "We have strong Pokémon with us. We all made it pass the first round of the tournament. If Professor Misa wants to go, we can go as her bodyguards. Besides," he looked at Karin, who nodded in reply, "We want to see this place."

Nurse Shizune was silent, biting her lip. She would certainly be in trouble if she authorized the group to go to the lab, but she could not help but feel pity for Karin. She was also a close friend of Misa's, and seeing her friend in distress upset the nurse.

Finally, she nodded slowly, but cautioned, "Be careful. I'll give you some extra medical supplies, but you need to watch out for yourselves." She dug around her desk area and handed Professor Misa a first aid kit for humans and Pokémon. "If you receive an injury, return immediately. The Pokémon in that area are vicious and pernicious." She gave the trainers one last glance before nodding. "Now hurry along before it gets dark."

"Thank you Nurse Shizune!" Misa bowed, before turning to the teens. "We'll take my car. It's the fastest way to the old site."

Karin grabbed Suigestsu's hand, biting her lip. Suigestsu glanced at her before squeezing her hand tightly. With a nod, Karin affirmed, "To the Apotos Dreamyard."

"Musharna is a Pokémon that can extract dreams from humans and Pokémon alike. Now, dreams actually contain a very powerful energy, a form of electromagnetic energy created from the brainwaves of a sleeping living being. When the body's functions slow down, more energy is sustained in the brain, therefore enhancing these waves. Munna and Musharna have the ability to harness these dreams, and extract them, and their power, from the brain," Misa explained to the trainers as she drove. They were in her spacious van, and were speeding towards the Apotos Dreamyard.

"This energy was nearly flawless. It was clean, and produced no emissions or radiation. The dreams just evaporated into the air once the energy was used up. In fact, we tried to find out where the dreams go, but they just disappear. It breaks the law of conservation of energy. Not only that, but it provides more energy than burning coal or fossil fuels, without the potential hazards of using nuclear energy. It was the perfect energy source. The only problem was that it was difficult to create this energy. A person is always dreaming in their sleep, but how many people would we need to extract dreams from to create enough energy to actually power a town or city? How will we find a way to replicate Munna and Musharna's abilities? That's what we tried to find out."

"Did the project fail because of these difficulties?" Suigestsu asked, interested.

Misa took a turn onto a forest road, heading up an incline. "Actually, not at all. We were making good progress. We had made good work in our first decade of research, although some of our Munna, and one of our Musharna, suddenly disappeared. Then, seven years ago, our funds suddenly dried up." Misa bit her lip, "The Council of Light just suddenly cut their support, and stopped funding our project. The Musharna that had gone missing returned shortly after, but for some reason, it went berserk, and began wreaking havoc. Its suppressed dream energy exploded, destroying our lab." She paused, remembering the horrid scene afterwards. She shook her head lightly to clear her memories, "Then, the Musharna was gone again…and the scientists were either seriously wounded…or dead."

Only the sound of the tires running over the dirt road could be heard as everyone fell silent. Karin was staring blankly up ahead while Suigestsu was gazed out of the window, watching the trees blur past. Jūgo and Ami watched Karin, expecting some kind of reaction. Misa opened her mouth to apologize, afraid she had said something wrong, but suddenly stopped and squinted her eyes. The car slowed down, and the trainers looked out of the windows to see what was going on. Two academy students in their uniforms and sporting the golden cross of the Council of Light were standing at the side of the road, looking rather tired.

"Hello Miss. May we ask where you are headed?" The first one asked.

With a frown, Misa replied, "We are actually on our way to the Apotos Dreamyard. Normally, civilians aren't allowed to go there, but we have been giving special permission. It's unusual to see travelers out here." Her eyes widened when she saw the emblem around their necks. "Are you from the Council of Light?"

The two of them nodded their heads as the first spoke, "As if you had said, we are members of the Council of Light. My name is Ukon, and this is my brother Sakon. It's a pleasure to meet you. Can you give us a ride to the Dreamyard then? We are headed there to report on the conditions of the area. We have heard reports of dangerous Pokémon living in the area, and as part of our clan, it is our duty to deal with them and ensure safety for both Pokémon and humans alike!" Both boys bowed in unison.

Reluctantly, Misa nodded and opened the door. With sighs of relief, both of the boys entered the van, sitting down in any available seats. They were surprised not to see Naruto and the gang, but did not have a problem with sitting next to them. After all, these people were sure to lead them to Musharna.

"Boy, aren't we glad you showed up," Sakon sighed. "We've been walking for hours!"

"Brother, mind your etiquette," Ukon sighed. His eyes wandered around the van, stopping on Karin for a moment before gazing forward again.

Karin suddenly tensed. An uncomfortable feeling settled on her, a feeling she could not explain. Perhaps it had something to do with the rumors she heard in Apotos earlier, but it was just a harmless gathering was it not? Nevertheless, she remained tense for the remainder of the car ride while her friends chatted with the newcomers.

If one were to imagine how wax looks like when it is melted, that was exactly what the old lab looked like. Numerous holes and charred marks were on the chipped and cracked walls. What remained of the second floor was weakly supported by shabby pillars. Bits of glass could be seen sticking out of the soil that now covered the floor. Weeds littered the surrounding area, and the place seemed to radiate an eerie calm about it. There were no Pokémon in sight, which seemed to put the humans at rest.

Professor Misa approached the ruins first, stepping cautiously through the rubble. She went through what appeared to be a gate. A twisted scrap of metal laid on the side, probably the once powerful gate. Seeing this destruction shocked everyone.

"This is the power of dream energy. It was a miracle that there were even survivors," Misa clenched her fists. "Father died protecting me from the blast…but I still ended up with many broken bones and this scar on my forehead." She turned to the trainers, her face hard. They could not help but stare at the scar in shocked silence. Sakon and Ukon also stared, but their expressions showed no emotion. Turning back around, Misa continued into the melted building.

Karin was silently looking around the ruins when she spotted something red on the walls. She noticed there were numerous such dark red splatters along the walls and ground. In shock, she realized what they were, and gasped. Suigestsu must have realized what they were too, for a soft growl sounded from his throat. Disgusted, Ami looked straight forward, trying her best not to look at the blood-stained walls of the lab with Jūgo following close behind.

The Council of Light grunts looked around at the damage, appearing not be disturbed at all. They were writing notes in notepads they had brought along, mumbling amongst themselves. They were scanning the ruins, as if looking for something.

The group arrived into the center of the ruins. Rubble, broken glass and dirt carpeted the floor. Misa gazed around the lab, calling out, "Ralts! Ralts, are you here?"

"Ralts...!"

Misa's head whipped in the direction of the high pitch squeal, and she yelled, "Ralts? Is that you?" Carefully, she ran about the lab, looking for her Pokémon. Sakon and Ukon suddenly seemed interested as another cry from the Ralts sounded. Misa turned around a crumbled wall and saw her Pokémon, walking about, as if confused.

"Oh Ralts, you are here!" Professor Misa reached for her Pokémon, who flinched away in fear. The trainers and the grunts had reached her in the meantime. Ami squealed when she saw Ralts.

"Oh my Arceus, you're so cute!" She made a move to run towards it, but Ukon's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. Sakon spoke up, "Miss, we have to ask you to step away from that Ralts. It could be a potential danger." Ukon nodded in agreement, still holding onto Ami.

"But…this is my own Pokémon!" Misa argued, staring in surprise.

Sakon shook his head, "No Miss. We need you to stand down. That Pokémon was found here. It could be a menace. It is best to just let us capture it and take it back. We want to make sure no more dangerous Pokémon are in this area." Her voice was becoming increasingly cold.

"This…this is absurd! This is _my_ Pokémon!" Misa complained, standing in front of her Ralts. "You said you were only here to take data and handle dangerous Pokémon! I know my own Pokémon when I see her. I refuse to let you take her!"

Professor Misa was angry. This was one of the few remaining psychic Pokémon from the project, and she was determined to take care of it.

"Arceus, this woman is persistent," Ukon growled, tightening his grip on Ami's wrist. She winced, tugging to get away. Before anyone realized what was happening, Ukon had yanked Ami to him and grabbed her around the neck with his other arm.

"Ami!" Karin gasped, starting to lurch towards her. Suigestsu's eyes quickly scanned the ground, and he found a pipe, which he picked up in one swift motion, expertly gripping it like a sword. Jūgo started towards Ami as well, but Ukon smirked at all the opposition. The grunt pressed a knife against Ami's neck, causing a round of shocked gasps to fill the air. Everyone froze, watching Ukon hold Ami at knifepoint.

"Drop the weapon, boy," he snarled at Suigestsu. "And back off all of you."

Hesitantly, everyone did as they were told. Suigestsu's poker face broke, showing genuine anger and fear. Ami was breathing loudly, clutching Ukon's arm with her free hand.

Professor Misa sputtered, "L…let go of her this instant!"

"I don't think you quite understand your position, _lady_," Sakon smirked, pulling out a Pokéball. He threw it up, releasing a Purrloin. He mewed maliciously, staring at Professor Misa with bloodthirsty eyes. "We were sent here on orders to recapture Musharna. Our superior told us it could be found at the Dreamyard. We were also ordered to liberate any Pokémon we see, and collect data on the condition of this place.

"Now," he took a threatening step forward, "Move, or be moved."

Ralts watched on in worry, whimpering quietly.

Professor Misa flinched, but shook her head, declaring, "I will not let you touch my Ralts!" She held her arms out protectively, glaring at Sakon and his Purrloin.

Sakon grimaced, snapping his fingers. Purrloin lunged forward, claws raised. Misa gasped, feeling her legs turn numb. She could not move, only able to squeeze her eyes shut, waiting for the pain to come. However, she did not feel the searing cut of the Purrloin's claws digging into her flesh. Instead, she heard the Purrloin screech, and her eyes opened just in time to see the Ralts attacking the enemy with colorful leaves. The attack exploded on the Purrloin and sent it flying back.

Misa blinked in surprise at her Ralts' Magical Leaf. She had never used Ralts in a battle, and had never actually seen her battle either. The Purrloin leapt back, shaking his head. He hissed angrily, preparing to attack again. Before he could, though, Ralts held out her small hands, releasing another Magical Leaf assault. The attack hit the Purrloin, exploding once again. Purrloin was slower in standing back up this time.

Sakon scoffed, clenching his fists. "Purrloin! Assist!"

The Devious Pokémon growled, opening his mouth wide. Sharp fangs were revealed as the Purrloin took a bounding leap, snapping his jaws close on Ralts' head. In shock, the psychic Pokémon squealed, shooting off pink beams in random directions.

Karin jumped out of the way of a stray beam, exclaiming, "What's she doing?"

Suigestsu dodged an attack as well, replying, "That's Confused Ray! Ralts' going outta control!"

One of the Confused Ray beams straight towards Ukon and Ami. The Council of Light grunt tried to dodge the attack, and escaped it in just the nick of time. Unfortunately, his knife pressed against Ami's neck, cutting into her skin. Ami gave out a sharp cry, surprising the man. In all the chaos, his grip on Ami had loosened, and Jūgo took the opportunity to launch his attack. He rushed up to him, grabbed his knife hand and twisted it into a complex arm bar, sedating the vicious teen. Ami crumpled to her knees, clutching at her neck. Suigestsu and Karin were at her side in an instant.

"Ami!" Karin said, pulling her friend's hand from her neck. Luckily, it seemed like the knife had missed her artery, and the blood was not flowing too freely.

Professor Misa yelled, "Kids! Here!" She chucked the first aid kit she was holding at the teens.

The box crashed into the ground, spilling its contents. Without a second thought, Suigestsu grabbed a disinfecting cloth and some bandages. He got to work, cleaning the blood off of Ami's neck as quickly as he could before wrapping bandages around the wound. He ignored her whimpers of pain as he worked, knowing full well that he had no time to stop in this situation.

The blood had slowed, but it could be seen staining the cotton of the bandages. "Keep your hand on there, press down, and don't move," he instructed Ami, grabbing her hand and placing it back on her neck. His face was shaded by his bangs, hiding the anger in his eyes, but not in his voice. The dazed Coordinator nodded slightly, not quite sure what just happened. Her vision was blacking around the edges, and she felt her head swim from the shock.

Karin was still concerned with her friend, completely ignoring the situation around her. "Ami are you ok?" she exclaimed, watching her friend carefully.

Dazed and lightheaded, Ami slurred, "I…I think so…" She looked over at the Ralts with dizzy eyes. Even so, she could tell that the poor Pokémon was still trying to recover from the previous attack, but Purrloin was no longer attacking.

Sakon realized that the situation had just turned on him and Ukon, now that their hostage was freed. Ukon was face down in the dirt now, grunting in pain from the arm bar that Jūgo kept him in.

Jūgo regarded Ukon with cold eyes, "Look who's the hostage now." He cranked Ukon's wrist back, inducing a loud scream from him.

The grunt snarled, "Nice going, Sakon. That Bite worked wonders on that stupid Ralts."

"Moron. My Purrloin just got it from your Patrat. It's not his fault that you're in such a pathetic situation," Sakon snarled. He made some finger gestures, and within the next second, the Purrloin had dashed over to Jūgo, leapt up, and slashed his arms with his claws.

Jūgo grunted in pain, releasing his hold on Ukon. Despite the pain, Ukon scrambled away, getting back onto his feet. His hand flew to his Pokémon at the same time that Suigestsu, Jūgo, and Karin reached for theirs.

Sakon and Ukon knew when they were outnumbered. If this group was willing to come out to a site like this, they must have been confident in their Pokémon and numbers. They knew escape was not likely, and even at a disadvantage, fighting seemed like the best option.

Of course, no one ever said anything about playing fair.

"Patrat! Bite the purple haired girl!" Ukon ordered as his Pokémon materialized from a blue light. The Scout Pokémon made a beeline towards Ami jaws open slightly in preparation for attack.

Using Ukon's distraction, Sakon called, "Purrloin, get Ralts with your Scratch!"

With two adversaries going in opposite directions at the same time, the trainers were caught off guard for once. They were never in a situation where the trainers would try underhanded tricks.

"Eros, Fire Blast!" Karin yelled as her Flareon appeared. Eros puffed out his cheeks and aimed at the Patrat, releasing an enormous star-shaped flame.

However, the Patrat leapt into the air, effectively dodging the assault, and used Bite on Eros instead. Blood trickled from the wound, sending Eros into a pained frenzy.

Ukon chuckled, "Don't take my Patrat lightly. He's very speedy."

The fire kitsune angrily shook the Patrat off, shoving the Pokémon away. The two Pokémon glared at each other, readying for a fight.

Jūgo released Druddigon, ordering him to stop on Purrloin. Purrloin never reached Ralts, and as a result, he was dragged back by the Druddigon. Druddigon grabbed Purrloin by the tail with one of his claws while he slashed Purrloin with the other. With a hiss, the Purrloin slashed at Druddigon with his claws, causing him to wince in pain. Nonetheless, the effort gave Misa and her Ralts a chance to get to safety, near the trainers.

Ami, realizing she was an easy target, shakily got to her feet. Professor Misa helped the poor girl up while Ralts hovered around her, whimpering. Ami looked at the bruised and bleeding Ralts, smiling sadly, "Oh, Ralts, you're hurt…These were for my Pokémon, but let me get you something to heal you…"

She started to dig through her bag, trying to focus her vision, but Misa protested, "Ami, you have to rest! This isn't the time t-"

"Here it is," she grinned, pulling out a small purple bottle. After fumbling with the nozzle, she sprayed the contents on Ralts' wounds. "There, all better right?"

Ralts was confused. It sensed that the girl before her was injured and disoriented, and yet she was so willing to help her. Ami smiled at the Ralts, gently patting her. "I'll be your bodyguard this time, ok?" Ami was about to release her Pokémon, but realized that the battle was almost over.

Patrat did not stand a chance when Suigestsu took out his Dewott. Combined, Dewott and Eros duo took him down easily. Purrloin was starting to lose consciousness, fatigue setting in. Odds were not good for the Council of Light grunts, but Sakon wanted to continue fighting. If only he had brought his stun gun…

"Purrloin, us-"

"That's quite enough," a familiar voice said.

All eyes shot to the side, where a yellowed-eyed man stood in his regal robes. Everyone recognized him immediately, especially the two grunts.

"M…Master Orochimaru!" Ukon and Sakon cried out.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, "Our job is to liberate Pokémon, not attack the trainers. I believe your work is done here today. Head back to headquarters immediately." His tone was even and calm, but his face betrayed furious emotions.

Recognizing the chastising expression, the grunts stammered, "Y…Yes Master! We are sorry!" before returning their Pokémon and dashing away.

"Wait! Get the back here!" Karin yelled out, but Suigestsu pulled her back.

He shook his head, "Let them go. At least everyone's safe now," He turned to Orochimaru with a smile. "Thank you sir, you really helped…"

His voice trailed off as Orochimaru started to disappear. Everyone watched in shock as Orochimaru dissolved into thin air.

"W…what's going on!" Ami exclaimed, clutching at her face. "Humans can't disappear like that!"

Suigestsu narrowed his eyes, coming to a realization, "I don't think that was the real Orochimaru. In fact, it might be an illusion. Such illusions aren't uncommon amongst Psychic Pokémon."

"Like Musharna!" Misa cried out, eyes widening. She pointed at a section of the lab, drawing the attention of the teens. A Musharna floated out from behind a wall, crooning softly.

Silence rocked the group. Misa bit her lip, remembering what the Pokémon had done all those years before. Everyone watched Musharna as she floated over to them.

Musharna glanced at the teens. Ralts had been the only reason that she had come out in the first place. Musharna had planned to stay in hiding until the grunts were gone, but saw that Ralts was in trouble, and could not just stand by. She had created the illusion of Orochimaru to scare Sakon and Ukon away. She figured she could trust the humans, since Ralts seemed to trust them. As Musharna floated over, however, her eyes widened.

With a cry of joy, she zoomed towards Karin, nuzzling against the surprised Coordinator. She could not believe her eyes. Karin was the person from her vision, the person who had taken care of her before the Council of Light took her away, and the person that she thought she had killed in the accident.

And here she was, alive. Musharna could not be happier. She cooed as it continued to nuzzle Karin affectionately, causing the Coordinator-in-training to become very uneasy.

Everyone jumped in surprise at the gesture. Misa was about to restrain the Pokémon, but saw that it was so harmless. In the back of her mind, she remembered the days when Musharna would nuzzle against her as happily as it was now…

"Well, it seems Musharna has taken a liking to you. I'm not quite sure why, but it's clearly very happy with you," Professor Misa stated with a frown. Ralts squealed in agreement, content with being held by Ami.

"So…what do I do?" Karin asked, trying her best not to flinch at the contact with the Musharna.

Professor Misa contemplated the option of having Karin take Musharna as her own Pokémon, but realized it was too risky. If she were to go into a frenzy again, the children would all be in danger.

"I think you should take Musharna with you," Ami said along with Ralts' jubilant squealing.

Suigestsu crossed his arms, asking, "But is this not the same Musharna involved in the accident many years ago?"

Karin froze up, wearily staring at the Musharna. This was her sister's killer…the Pokémon that had caused her death.

Slowly, Jūgo opened his mouth to speak, "I think you should take her with you as well. It seems to like you…I mean, maybe she didn't mean to destroy the lab. Maybe something happened to it during the time it was gone, and it was only crazy because of that."

Surprised by the depth of his words, Suigestsu mumbled, "I suppose that's one way to look at it…but still…"

"I agree," Ami walked over to Musharna, petting the dream eater with her hand. Musharna crooned happily, nuzzling her as well. "See, she so sweet. Nothing this cute could be evil." Ami declared with confidence.

Suigestsu sighed. "In the end, it's not our decision. Karin gets to pick. So what'll it be?" Everyone looked at the red haired Coordinator, waiting for her reply.

A multitude of emotions seemed to flare up within Karin as she contemplated her choices. "I…guess. I'll just train her, and make sure that kind of accident never happens again," she said, as if she chose her words carefully. She took out an empty Pokéball and turned to Professor Misa. "Is that alright?"

Misa twisted her lip, responding slowly, "If Musharna is alright with it, I suppose I am too."

Turning to Musharna, Karin held the Pokéball out, asking, "Do you want to come with me?"

Without hesitation, the Musharna pressed her nose against the button on the capsule, and allowed herself to be sucked in, surprising all the onlookers. The Pokéball did not even shake, simply pinging to announce a successful capture.

Another quiet moment passed before Karin clipped the Pokéball back into her belt with a shrug. Professor Misa frowned, still unsure about the outcome of the events. But at least she had found her Ralts. However, as she reached for Ralts, the little psychic Pokémon started to whine, squeezing herself tighter against Ami.

"What's wrong Ralts?" asked Ami, concerned. "Professor Misa came all the way back here just to find you!"

Ralts looked from Ami to Misa before floating over to the Professor. She started to talk in her language, in words that Professor Misa seemed to understand. However, Misa's face became more upset as Ralts spoke. With a sad nod, she said, "Ralts said she wanted to go with you."

"Wait, why?" Ami gaped. "Isn't she your Pokémon?"

"She wants to be with Musharna, and wants to be able to fight. I had no idea Ralts enjoyed battling…" Sighing, she watched Ralts float back to Ami.

"You can understand what Ralts says?" she asked incredulously.

With a nod, Misa replied, "I've work with these Pokémon for many years. You pick things up over time. But…" she gave a melancholy smile, "I'll miss having Ralts around. Please take care of her."

Ralts tried to nuzzle into Ami's arms again, but the Coordinator was reluctant. "But…"

"Please dear, Ralts has chosen you. I don't want to be the one to say no to her. Please just take care of her, and treat her well." She turned to Karin, "And take care of Musharna well too. I had forgotten how sweet she could be…maybe she still is."

Professor Misa looked around the ruined lab again before casting her eyes skyward. She watched the clouds float by, feeling the gentle blowing of the wind, blowing the memories away from the ruined lab. She turned back to the teens, smiling peacefully. "Shall we head back?"

The four friends nodded and started to leave the lab. Ami hugged Ralts to her, following after her friends. Suigestsu and Jūgo offered their support to her, showing concern for their injured friend.

Once they passed the outer wall, Karin turned back to the lab, staring. Suddenly, she bowed, closing her eyes. Misa, Ami, Jūgo, and Suigestsu watched her quietly, allowing her a moment to let the silent prayer in her hearts resonate. After a while, she stood back up and turned her back on the Dreamyard and the foul memories it held.

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The waves of the bay rolled gently, sunset rays breaking free of the evening fog to dust the watery surface, creating a rippling sea of fiery gems. The wind wisped about, its chilliness overpowered by the warmth of the rising sun. Low-hanging clouds shrouded White Academy in a mystical veil, but the twinkling lights of the magnificent battle stadium still shone through. However, the overwhelming presence of just the stadium stole the attention of all eyes, and those of the quartet of trainers were no exception.

Responding to an impatient tug on his sleeve, Naruto finally found the ability to move his feet again. Kiba's whining voice broke through his possessed thoughts.

"Come on Naruto! Wouldn't you rather be in the stadium? Quit gawking and let's go!" Another impatient tug nearly caused the blonde to trip, but he hurried behind his ecstatic friend after a short stumble.

"Dear Arceus, can you please slow down Kiba?" Sakura yelled when the overexcited preteen ran ahead again.

"You guys are so slow! Come on, how can you all limp along like a trio of Slakoths when you have opponents just waiting to battle," Kiba spread his arms out, Akamaru and Ukki-Chan followed him without hesitation. "And all of this to admire!"

"Kiba, you're something else..." Sakura sighed.

Kiba pouted, "If you're going to complain, then I don't hear it! Come on, let's just go faster!" he pleaded with a whine.

"You can hardly admire things going at the pace you are. We're all tired from yesterday Kiba. Give us break, please?"

Indignantly, Kiba grumbled, "Fine, fine, whatever…" before turning around to resume walking at a slower pace. Behind him, Sakura sighed, both in exasperation and relief, and followed after the boy with Blaze in tow.

Naruto hung back with Tenshi, who was walking unusually slow. She seemed more alert than usual, taking cautious steps even though the wide pedestrian path was nearly flawless and smooth. He did not speak, allowing this silence for the both of them.

Luckily, the stadium was only a few minutes from the dorms on foot, and the trainers were able to leave right on time. After five minutes, the quartet stepped into the building, entering another gatehouse. With a jump, Kiba entered the gateway to the stadium, a small office next to the entrance. All trainers had to pass through the office in order to enter the stadium. Naruto and Sakura had warned Kiba ahead of time, knowing all too well that the boy would just charge through the gatehouse without getting his ID scanned. So the two of them had anticipated his reaction when he saw the line at the booth.

"Aw man, there's a long line!" he complained loudly, drawing the attention of several trainers and visitors.

Crossing her arms, Blaze quietly chided, "It will move fast enough. Be patient." She was running low on patience herself.

However, as soon as Tsunade appeared onto the enormous screen, the trainers had momentarily forgotten all about the incident that accrued in Apotos. The blond haired woman stood before the trainers and visitors with her Grumpig, grinning.

"Greetings trainers, and congrats to those who made it to the second half of the tournament. However," Tsunade's expression changed. "This doesn't necessarily mean that things will get easier for you and your partners. In fact, some say that the second portion is the most challenging."

There were several people whispering to each other, and some even flinched at her words. Nevertheless, Tsunade continued.

"Why you ask? Because the challengers that participate are from all over the globe," Tsunade answered. "By using state of the art technology, the battle stage has been modified to warp trainers to different locations around the world. The locations are random, but is under constant surveillance of our technical staff, and of course, we have the big screen on the stadium to watch the battles or contest battles. These challengers are not to be taken lightly, so be on your guard at all times."

After the announcement, the trainers and coordinators slip up, and went their separate ways. But not before saying good bye, and wishing each other the best of luck. Blaze and Sakura were nearly at the contest hall when a familiar face appeared.

"Sakura!" The voice called out.

Turning, Sakura and Blaze noticed a teenaged boy with emerald eyes and slick black hair flagging them down. Sakura's face instantly broke into a smile.

"Brother!" she said flinging herself into his arms. And then she looked up at him asking, "Wait a minute-why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the gym?"

Rector laughed. "I took little break from battling and decided to come and watch your next battle, sissy."

Blaze suddenly smirked at Sakura. "Sissy...?" she asked, and Sakura jst stuck her tounge out at her.

"Have you caught any more Pokémon?" Rector asked, as the three of them walked towards the contest hall.

Sakura nodded happliy, and then tossed four of her Pokéballs into the air. Pointing to them individually, she introduced her partners. "You already know Skitty, but allow me to introduce Munna, Teddiursa, and Herdier."

Rector kneeled down to level and smiled at them. "Nice to meet you all,"

"And this," She held out Apollo's ball. "Is my Dragonair, Apollo."

Rector nodded and stood back up. "Interesting, but why didn't you let him out?" he asked.

"He's a bit on the wild side," Blaze said answering for Sakura.

"Woof, woof!" ("Wild side? It's more like out of control!") Herdier replied.

Sakura was about to defend Apollo, when someone else spoke.

"Your Pokémon…just now…he was saying…" The voice stopped, not continuing, as if confused as to whether or not he should finish speaking or not.

Sakura whipped around, finding herself staring at Uchiha Sasuke. His face was blank, showing no anger, happiness, confusion, or any sort of emotion. The sudden appearance of this man surprised the teenagers. Her furrowed his eyebrows, inquiring, "What do you mean, my Pokémon was talking? That doesn't make any sense. Pokémon cannot speak English."

Sasuke just looked at her. "Yes, he was talking. How sad," he glanced around at the other three. "It seems you nor your friends can hear them Pokémon, for that matter."

And then Sasuke asked, "You wanted to become a Coordinator, right?"

Sakura nodded. "Right," she answered. "And maybe someday, I'll take over things at the Gym." She looked at her brother smiling.

Rector smiled back. "We'll see about that,"

"So you're willing to confine a myriad of Pokémon for that, are you not?" Sasuke suddenly cut in, face still emotionless, but his eyes turned to ice. "I'm a trainer as well, but unlike you, I do not wish to force them into battle." He gestured to his blue-sneakered foot, where a purple cat-like Pokémon, with beige patches amongst his royal purple fur, sat licking his paw. "This is my Purrloin. He is a friend of mine. I do not keep friends imprisoned in tight spaces." He managed to say this all without breaking his stoic mask, yet retaining an intense charisma. "Are Pokémon really happy being our fighting tools? Our weapons?"

He took a step closer to Sakura. Up close, she noticed that he was actually very handsome. His black eyes, though cold, were mesmerizing. However, what Sakura failed to see was that there was something different about Sasuke-his personality.

To her brother's shock, Sasuke leaned in closer to Sakura, staring intently into her eyes, as if trying to find the answer to a puzzle that was troubling him. Sakura felt her face grow hot, and held Teddiursa to her chest. Sasuke's gaze fell on the squirming Pokémon, and his hand raised up, going towards the Pokémon.

Suddenly, his hand jerked to a stop. For the first time since he started talking, Sasuke had a confused and surprised expression on his face, blinking once at the hand that was now tightly grabbing his wrist. Rector had stepped forward, intercepting Sasuke's wrist before he got to Sakura and Teddiursa. Eyes flashing dangerously, he quietly asked, "What, may I ask, are you doing?"

Sakura took a deep breath, trying to understand what just happened. From what it looked like, Sasuke was reaching for her chest…

"Pervert…" she mumbled, face going red.

As if not comprehending the word she spoke, he blinked before saying softly, "I want to hear your Pokémon's voice again."

Rector only squeezed Sasuke's wrist harder, pissed off at the man he was restraining. Sasuke winced when the pressure got too strong, and he let out a slightly childish whine. "Oww…"

Suddenly, Rector gasped, collapsing to the ground. Sasuke's Purrloin, noticing his distress, had slashed at Rector's leg, cutting into skin. He licked the blood off his claws before glaring daggers at the boy, who was clutching onto his wound, hissing.

"Brother!" Sakura gasped, reaching for him, but a hand blocked her way. Infuriated, she turned to Sasuke, seeing his face returned to normal. "What is wrong with you? You just barge into conversation, start spouting some dribble about being able to talk to Pokémon, and now your Pokémon just attacked my brother! Just what do you want?" she demanded.

Sasuke blinked, emotion coming back to his face. He furrowed his eyebrows, a small frown appearing on his face. "I just wanted to hear your Pokémon's voice again…"

"You want to hear his voice? Ok, fine, you pervert!" Sakura snapped, setting Teddiursa on the ground. "We'll battle!" She glared at the young Uchiha, fire burning within her. Behind her, Blaze had fell to the ground, trying to see if she could do something about Rector's bleeding, but small wound.

Sasuke walked a distance away, and his Purrloin followed. He turned back around and nodded to Sakura, but only kept his eyes on the Teddiursa. Teddiursa puffed out his chest, ready for his first command.

Sakura called out, "Teddiursa, Sweet Scent!" Teddiursa obliged, puffing out his cheeks before letting a cloud of pink smoke explode from his mouth, streaming towards the Devious Pokémon standing proudly in front of him. The Purrloin did not so much as make a move, waiting patiently for Sasuke's orders.

"Purrloin, dodge and use Fake Out," Sasuke said calmly. Purrloin gracefully leapt up to dodge the incoming Sweet Scent, smirking at the surprised Teddiursa. He landed nimbly on his violet paws, immediately dashing forward.

Neither Sakura nor her Pokémon were able to anticipate the speed or movements of the Purrloin, and the coordinator watched as her Teddiursa was thrown back from the invisible soundwaves, vicariously feeling his pain. Gritting her teeth, Sakura called out, "Try, Aerial Ace!"

Teddiursa winced at the throbbing pain on his back, but growled angrily as he charged forward for an attack. Sasuke clasped his hands behind his back and said, "Purrloin, Shadow Claw."

Before he could slash his claws again, Teddiursa had managed to slam his claws into the cat-like Pokémon, causing him to screech in shock. He flew back as Teddiursa took a moment to catch his breath. Sakura immediately commanded, "Quickly, use Sweet Scent again!"

The cloud of smoke shot from Teddiursa's mouth again, but Purrloin, thoroughly cheesed off, leapt to the side to dodge the attack again, sprinting straight at Teddiursa. Purrloin stopped a breath away from the Teddiursa and sank his piercing claws into his body. Teddiursa let out a distressed cry, followed by another yelp as Purrloin's attack cut his other cheek. The scratch cut much deeper this time, blood flowing in small spurts. The Purrloin pulled out his other claw, freeing several tiny streams of blood.

Sakura watched on in horror. She did not have the slightest clue that Pokémon battles could get this violent.

"S…Stop!" she cried out, running towards her almost fainted Teddiursa. Purrloin, once again, licked his bloody claws before strutting back to Sasuke's side, smirking in satisfaction.

Sasuke did not give it any words of praise, simply watching the girl trainer pick up her injured Teddiursa. He began to walk over, but Sakura's head snapped up at the sound of his footsteps, her eyes shaking in fury.

"Don't you dare take another step, you monster!" she snarled, stumbling up, cradling Teddiursa in her arms. Sasuke had a confused frown on his face, much like a child who does not understand why they were being chastised.

"You talk a bunch nonsense about us treating our Pokemon poorly, so tell me just what the heck you were thinking in trying to kill my Pokémon!" she snapped, still backing away.

"I did not try to kill your Pokémon. I was simply offering attack suggestions to Purrloin. I let it be up to him as to he chooses to fight. I'm sorry for what happened to your Pokémon, but now you see," he pointed at Teddiursa, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Now you see the true nature of Pokémon battles. It will only become more painful for the Pokémon as they become stronger, when the attacks will actually become deadly. Can you handle this reality? This sick reality that humans put Pokémon through, and all for what? A sport? Some game? A twisted career?"

His eyes were betraying every bit of pain he felt towards the Pokémon. Although still infuriated with the green-haired man before her, Sakura felt herself shaking slightly, not from anger, but from fear of his words. Fear that his words were true.

In Sakura's arms, Teddiursa whined, "Ursa…Teddiursa!"

Sasuke's eyes lit up in surprise, a child-like awe spreading across his face for a split second, but disappearing as fast as it had appeared. He closed his eyes, sighing as he pulled out a small pink Potion from his pocket.

Sasuke took another step forward, tossing the bottle towards Rector. The angered teen caught it expertly, his surprise not replacing the scowl on his face. "Heal your Teddiursa. I'll be taking my leave now," Sasuke remarked as he turned around, walking away from the three of them.

"Wait!" Rector called out. Ignoring the throbbing pain emitting from his wound, he got to his feet, gritting his teeth. "You hurt my sister's Pokémon, and now you just have the nerve to walk away?"

Sasuke stopped mid step, not turning around as he spoke. "I gave you a Potion. It should be sufficient enough to heal that Teddiursa's wounds. Also…" he turned his head to the side, glancing at Sakura from the corner of his eye.

"That Teddiursa…the things he said…truly puzzles me. I never expected to hear a Pokémon say such things." He turned his head back forward, slowly shaking his head. "I have to change this world for Pokémon…because they're my friends." He began walking away again, the Purrloin following at his ankle. "And I suggest you let me do just that,"

He finished, leaving the three stunned trainers in consternation.

**A/N:** And that's another chapter. Thanks for reading, and putting up with my slow updates. I was going to get back to the tournament a bit sooner, but after playing my Black version, I decided to write a Dreamyard scene. But yes, I will be getting back to the battles in the next chapter. And about Sasuke Purrlion using Shadow Calw, the ghostly shadow may not effect normal type, but he still swiping is claws at the oposing Pokemon.

As always, please voice your opinions in a review, because they'll make an awesome birthday gift for me. ^^


	14. Chapter 14

**Finally, I'm back with a new chapter for you all. Took me long enough, right? I was planning to update sooner, but had other stories, and ideas that needed to either be updated or posted. And of course, I've put most of my time into remaking one of crossovers. Oh, and speaking of which I'll only be accepting for this story, and Where Legends Cross by PM only. You know, just to comply with the site's rules.**

**Enjoy the new chapter, everyone!**

Chapter Fourteen: Encountering the Eccentric Prince Zhong Hsin, of Chun-nan.

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"I can't believe they teleported me here, and without a map no less!" Kiba grumbled as he bit into a steamed dumpling.

Having been teleported to Chun-nan, also known as the continent of dragons, Kiba was anything but excited. Sure he was excited about battling, but without a map, or a clear idea about his opponent, things were not in his favor. And of course being lost in the streets of the eastern Chinese land was not part of his plans. By his side, Akamaru and Ukki-chan ate their dumplings happily despite being lost in a foreign land. Secretly, the two of them were enjoying themselves.

Kiba glanced at the small slip of paper Asuma's Alakazam had given to him before teleporting back to the academy. The piece of paper held the one and only clue Kiba had about his opponent, which was a small picture of Rayquaza.

_I wonder what this means…?_ Kiba thought, twirling the paper around a little and biting into his dumpling again.

Tracing down the square-stoned road, Kiba and his Pokémon took in everything that Chun-nan had to offer. The structures that surrounded them were made from the finest cedar wood, bonsai trees were planted around every corner, and the local restaurants glowed with exotic paper lanterns. But the most captivating feature was the benevolent, evergreen forest that concealed the village from the world. Just looking at the mountain's peak made Kiba wonder about this land's inhabitant Pokémon and what sort of moves they possessed.

"That's it! You've eaten here for the last time!"

A young man no more than the age of eighteen was suddenly tossed from a nearby noodle stand by a large man wearing a chef's uniform.

"Father, please! Zhong is the future emperor of Chun-nan!" A young girl of the same age ran to the aid of the now identified, Zhong. "And hopefully, more than that…" the girl blushed as she said this.

The girl's father snorted, crossing his muscular arms. "Just because he's a future leader doesn't mean he can eat our family business into bankruptcy!"

_Future leader…?_ Kiba asked himself as eyed the young man before him as the chef and his daughter went back to their noodle stand.

Zhong had long black hair, worn in a low pony tail, porcelain skin, and emerald eyes. He wore loose silk pants and shoes, and a sleeveless navy blue shirt. Needless to say, this young boy did not appear to be an emperor. Upon closer expectation, Kiba spotted a Rayquaza icon on his shirt.

_That mark! He must know something about my opponent!_ Kiba approached Zhong immediately, showing him the paper. "I was told to find the person who bares this mark. Look familiar?"

Zhong placed a hand on his chin looking thoughtful. Then, he answered, "Why, that's my clan's symbol. And you must be the student from White Academy, correct?"

Kiba puffed out his chest, smiling arrogantly. "That's right. You've probably heard of me, Inuzuka Kiba, the next Battle Tycoon of Sinnoh, right?"

Zhong scratched his cheek grinning sheepishly. "Well, I can't say that I have…"

Kiba nearly toppled over at the boy's statement, but composed his stature. Glaring he reached for Thor's Pokéball. "Whatever, let's just get this battle over with. Let go-"

However, before Kiba could toss the red and white ball, Zhong immediately grabbed his hand. Kiba's glare only increased because of this.

"Hey! What gives man!" he shouted, pulling away from the green eyed fellow.

"Are you insane?" Zhong asked, with a glare of his own. "With can't fight on holy ground!"

Kiba raised one of his eye brows. "Holy ground…?" _Maybe Naruto isn't only one who worships ramen after all…_

"All Pokémon battles," Zhong started. "Must take place in Du Weldenvarden Coliseum."

Kiba allowed his arms to drop to his sides as he gazed around. "Okay and where's that?"

Zhong smiled happily as he pointed to the very peak of the mountain where the village rested. "Up there of course!"

Even from the noodle stand, Kiba and Pokémon could see the vast flight of stairs leading to the mountain's peak.

"Wait just one minute…you want us to climb up there?" Kiba shouted as he pointed to the mountain accusingly.

In return, Zhong smiled innocently and shrugged. "Of course—where else who my people have battles?"

"Oh I don't know…preferably somewhere that doesn't include climbing six-thousand stairs!" Kiba snapped at him.

"Actually, there are six-thousand and one stairs, but I'm sure you can do it." Zhong assured. "And, if start now, we'll make it to the top by high-noon!"

Kiba sighed loudly as he followed the future emperor to Mount Du Weldenvarden. This was sure to be a long day.

During the entire trip Zhong informed him about some of Chun-nan's history such as from the times of the ancient emperors, this village has been founded as the basis of folklore and myths. At one time, it was believed that this community was the training grounds for the Dragon Riders, where they would pass their lessons onto the next generation.

"Gee, where'd you learn all that?" Kiba asked sarcastically as trudged up the stone steps.

"It was in the guidebook I found down the street." Zhong stated, bringing the guidebook into view and flipping through the pages. "It also said that there is a town near by famous for its all-you-can-eat buffets...Hmm..."

Without wasting a single breathe, Zhong tossed the guidebook and continued to climb the stairs.

Twenty minutes later, and the two of them had reached the mountains peak where they were greeted by a man wearing a red robe and glasses.

"Ah, Master Zhong," the man said. "Are ready to begin the match?"

"I sure am!" Zhong replied just happy as ever. And then, he pointed the sprawled out trainer behind him. "But I can't say the same for my opponent…"

Upon hearing this, Kiba sprung up full of energy. "Nonsense—I'm ready to battle anytime you're ready!"

"Well, then," the man smiled, pulling two flags, one red and one blue from the sleeves of his robes. "Let the match begin!"

"Let's go Thor!" Kiba called, summoning his most powerful partner to the field.

"Toxicroak, go!" In a blast of white light appeared a purple and red frog-like creature with two stingers on both of his fists.

"Thor, start off with a Flame charge!" Kiba ordered, and Thor began thundering towards Toxicroak like a living battering ram.

"Toxicroak, Detect!" Zhong parried, and Toxicroak rolled aside from Thor's charge, evading the heavy attack by centimeters. "Now use Toxic!" Toxicroak unfurled from his roll and twisted to face Thor, his throat gargling as he prepared to spit vile juices over the electric Pokémon he opposed.

"Hurry and dodge!" Kiba ordered, and Thor quickly stepped aside, dodging the assault. The disgusting ooze that Toxicroak spat out splattered against his opponent's side, hissing and bubbling like noxious acid, but as soon as the worst of it had died down Thor stepped over the pool of goo, unharmed.

"Nice tactic. Toxicroak, go for a head shot with Brick Break!" Zhong cried, and Toxicroak leapt upwards, his hand glowing as he brought it down in a deadly arc.

"Hurry and get, up!" Thor angled his head upwards and saw Toxicroak's attack speeding towards him, but luckily he managed to keep his cool, opening his mouth and fastening them around Toxicroak's hand. Toxicroak screeched with pain and tried to pull free, but Thor would never let go until his trainer commanded.

"Now use Sunny Day!" From the fur on Thor's back, a small sun emerged, floating over the battle-field and raising the temperature noticeably.

"Toxicroak, get yourself free with Poison Jab!" Zhong ordered, and Toxicroak stopped writhing in pain, jabbing his stinger right on the end of Thor's snout and making the beast roar with pain and stumble backwards, releasing him.

"Don't worry, Thor! We've got him right where we want him!" Kiba encouraged. If he knew his types, then Toxicroak had the ability called Dry Skin, which meant that in sunny weather his sensitive flesh started to burn, meaning that his will to fight would be sapped all the quicker. On top of this, Sunny Day allowed Thor to unleash a powerful Flame Charge to defeat the Poison frog as soon as possible.

"Toxicroak, don't lose heart! Try hitting Zebstrika with a Sludge Bomb attack!" Zhong said, trying not to think about the consequences of the well-timed Sunny Day. Toxicroak opened his wide mouth and regurgitated a spray of sickening purple globs that flew in an arc towards the waiting electric Pokémon.

"Stay strong and use Thunder!" Kiba cried, and although Thor grunted with pain and staggered backwards under the disgusting attack, he dug his feet into the dirt, and his stripped fur started to glow with power.

"Keep using Detect to protect yourself, Toxicroak!" Zhong counter-commanded, hoping that an opening would present itself soon, and suddenly chaos broke loose. Thor stood like an unmoving tank, sending beam after beam of pure, searing natural energy towards Toxicroak, who avoided each one by a tiny amount, bending over backwards, jumping upwards, twisting in mid-air and generally showing off all the agility he had at his disposal. However, Zhong knew Detect was going to fail sooner rather than later, and the time to press the attack was now, when Thor thought he was unassailable. "Cross Chop, Toxicroak!"

"Thor, keep it up with Thunder! Don't let him get anywhere near you!" Kiba said, and Thor snorted with acknowledgement, aiming his attack straight at Toxicroak as the beleaguered frog dashed into the heart of the storm, his arms crossed across his chest and glowing with power.

Clods of earth and clouds of dust flew into the air like fountains as each beam missed its mark, battering the stadium floor and making it seem as if Toxicroak was desperately dashing through a bombed-out warzone. Eventually, inevitably, the Sunny Day worked its magic; Toxicroak hesitated for a split-second too long, his skin uncomfortable under the hated sun, and a Thunder hit him dead-on. Toxicroak flew backwards, his attack forgotten, and landed in a sprawled heap as Thor snorted victoriously.

"Come on, Toxicroak! Show me some of that spirit! You aren't going to let a bit of sunshine get you down, are you? Now get back out there and show Zebstrika a Poison Jab!" Zhong ordered.

"Toxicroak…" The frog-creature said hazily, but he got to his feet nonetheless and began charging towards Thor again, directing all the poisonous fluid in his body to the tips of his dripping stingers for the maximum possible impact.

"Thor, he's heading straight for you! Hurry and use Thunder!" Kiba said quickly, and Thor released powerful shockwaves, making the whole coliseum vibrate.

Toxicroak, his mind fuzzy under the glare of the sun, nevertheless realized that when the ground was shaking, major pain was imminent. Crouching down for a split-second, he leapt into the air as high as he could, letting the Earthquake pass underneath harmlessly before landing right in front of Thor and jabbing two poison-laden stingers right into his face. The electric Pokémon stumbled backwards, his mind swimming as toxins attacked him from within, and within seconds he was overcome. The battle-field shook as his legs gave way beneath him and he fainted.

"Toxicroak comes back with a vengeance, overcoming the Sunny Day, avoiding the assault to stick Zebstrika with his stingers! It seemed to be all over for Toxicroak for a minute as Zebstrika's use of Sunny Day was perfectly executed, but the Poison Mouth Pokémon was not to be denied," From within the stadium of White Academy, Ayame did her part by keep the crowd up to date on the battle.

"Return, Toxicroak. You were seriously good, but I can tell you need a rest," Zhong said, recalling the frog before he fainted.

"Thor, come back. I guess I just got a bit overconfident and underestimated Toxicroak's power. Okay, we'll show them this time that we don't need gimmicks to win, right Akamaru?" Kiba smiled at the little black pooch.

Akamaru responded happily, eager to see his trainer move onto the second round where he might get some action.

"Please release your Pokémon in three… two… one…" the judge said, and lowered his flags.

"Akamaru, get out there and give it your all!"

"Go, Heracross!"

"Kiba has picked Poochyena, who just like Zebstrika has a passion for battling, but also a weakness toward Fighting type Pokémon. Zhong has picked Heracross, a Bug Pokémon known for its great strength," Ayame said thoughtfully, examining the apparently uneven match-up.

"Begin!"

"Heracross, Stone Edge!" Zhong ordered, and Heracross' horn shone as though it were polished as it slammed into a nearby boulder, shattering it and sending a flurry of shards towards the Eevee he faced.

"Akamaru, dodge it quickly!" Kiba parried, and Akamaru easily slipped away from the lumpy shards of rock, dancing away from each strike with a silvery trail glowing in the air behind him. "Yes! Now use Incinerate!"

"Heracross, use Stone Edge once more!" Zhong commanded quickly, and Heracross buzzed to the top of one of the larger pieces of rock, smashing it with his blue fists and hurling boulder after boulder with his prized horn until they were raining down on Akamaru like a wave. Akamaru blasted a fireball at his foe whilst leaping up into the air to avoid one rock, but it immediately disintegrated as it met another hurtling boulder, whilst preceded to crash into Akamaru and send him flying. In a few horrifying seconds Heracross' job was complete, and Akamaru was completely invisible beneath a pile of shattered debris.

"Akamaru, Dig!" Kiba said, his voice shaking slightly; he couldn't bear to see his most trusted partner hurt.

It was clear that Zhong wasn't holding anything back, and he needed to do the same and fast if she wanted any hope of victory. There was no sign of movement from within the rubble, but Kiba wasn't bothered; Akamaru was hopefully under the ground, a simultaneous evasion and attack that allowed her to escape the rock pile and strike back with a vengeance.

"He's underground, Heracross! Endure!" Zhong said, licking his dry lips as he waited for Akamaru to appear. He needed to get off the defensive as soon as possible, or the little guy's agility would get the better of him.

"Endure? That means he's getting ready to survive whatever we throw at him! Akamaru, don't attack! Come up in front of him and use Howl!" Kiba cried as Heracross steeled himself to absorb the impact.

Akamaru emerged from the ground in front of the Bug Pokémon and sat before him, his ears drooping as he prepared to catch her opponent off-guard. Heracross' eyes opened a fraction as he wondered where the inevitable impact was, and he recoiled slightly in shock as he saw Akamaru less than a meter away. Heracross was about to look to Zhong for guidance until he saw that tears were rolling down Akamaru's cheeks, over and over again as the furry creature's lip trembled. Like all of Zhong's Pokémon, Heracross had been trained to be compassionate and kind, and for a split-second he lowered his guard and started to approach Akamaru to see what was wrong.

"Snap out of it and attack with Megahorn!" Zhong shouted, but before Heracross could process what he said, Kiba made his move.

"Use Incinerate!" Heracross hissed as a volley of painful stars slammed into him, sending him flying backwards until he stabilized himself with his wings, and following and tormenting him wherever he went.

"Heracross, you can take it! Fly in for a Megahorn!" Zhong ordered, and Heracross gripped the ground with his clawed feet, rooting himself in place and crossing his arms over his face to block the stream of glowing stars. As he pushed ever closer to his foe, his horn began to glow with ominous power, shimmering with a slight miasma of green as he amassed all the Bug power at his command into a single strike.

"Akamaru, use Incinerate at full power!" Kiba cried, seeing his foe striding closer and closer, and Akamaru blasted a fiery orb of dark energy towards his foe, hoping to pierce the beetle's indomitable defense.

"Heracross, use your Megahorn to bat it right back!" Zhong said confidently, and Heracross swung his incredible horn around, slamming the fireball as hard as he could right back to sender. However, this had been just what Kiba had expected.

"Akamaru, hurry and ram into him!" he parried, and Akamaru dashed forwards towards Heracross, ignoring the Incinerates impact completely before ramming his head right into Heracross' armored stomach. The Bug Pokémon rolled head-over-heels backwards and Zhong cursed his dire judgment; he had forgotten that Akamaru was quick on his feet. It looked like he'd have to stop getting caught up in theatrics and start pounding on the hyena pup as hard as possible.

"Heracross, can you continue?" he asked, and Heracross nodded weakly, hopping back up to his feet. "Let's go for a super-effective Close Combat!"

"Not this time," Kiba smiled. "Akamaru, Dig!" Heracross slammed into a rock as Akamaru scurried beneath the ground, and before he could even recover from the impact the Dark typepooch erupted from underneath him, nipping with his tiny sharp teeth, slashing with his claws and battering with his tail.

"He's up close! Attack with Megahorn!" Zhong yelled as Heracross was forced further and further back, and his horn swirled with power again as he swung his head around and smashed Akamaru away as hard as he could.

"Keep going! Dash off that rock!" Kiba cried, and Akamaru twitched in mid-flight, bracing himself against the boulder he looked set to smash against before lancing into a super-quick charge that sent Heracross crashing into a rock of his own. The Bug was about to get up for more punishment, but just as he stood firm, his eyes began to roll and he fell back to the floor limply.

"Heracross is unable to battle. Akamaru is the winner," the judge announced as Heracross lay sprawled on the floor.

"Heracross, return. We were beaten because of my own short-sightedness, so don't feel bad," Zhong said, disappointed that he wasn't going to clinch an early win.

"Akamaru, you were brilliant!" Kiba said stroking the hyena pup lovingly as his tail wagged endlessly. "I knew you'd come through for me, buddy no matter what,"

"Heracross is down! Akamaru overcomes a type disadvantage, turning every new setback into a plan of her own. An amazing example of David and Goliath if I must say so," Ayame said.

"Please release your Pokémon in three…two…one…" the judge said, and two more Pokémon entered the coliseum.

"Mitsuo, let's go!"

"Guardian, I choose you!"

"This is final match between the two trainers. Will Lucario's Steel characteristics manage to put him one step above Eevee, or will the disadvantage just spur the Normal Pokémon to victory?" Ayame wondered.

"Begin!"

"Guardian, start off with an Aura Sphere!" Zhong ordered; he felt reasonably confident about this match-up, but that didn't mean he was going to get lax. If they were going to get into fisticuffs, it would be on his terms. Lucario instantly blasted a white beam of light from his eyes, and white noise filled the stadium as it thundered towards the battle-ready Mitsuo.

"Dodge it, and follow it up with Iron Tail!" Kiba parried. This one would require a lot of thought, but he trusted his Eevee to pull it off until he could think of a decent plan. Mitsuo was immediately dashing back and forth, a silver trail staining the air behind him as he evaded the deadly barrage of Aura Spheres.

"He's fast," Zhong admitted as the Mitsuo slipped away from yet another blast. "But not fast enough. Guardian, hurry and use Extreme speed!" Guardian jetted forwards and slammed heavily into Mitsuo, battering him with a flurry of strikes before finally kicking him aside; the Normal Pokémon's Quick Attack seemed to be in slow motion compared to his Extreme speed.

"Try using Iron Tail again!" Kiba commanded, and Mitsuo swung his tail around from her position on the floor, sweeping Lucario's feet out from under him and drawing out a surprised roar. "Now, follow it up with Shadow Ball!"

"Guardian, Dark Pulse!" Zhong ordered, and Guardian focused again, ignoring the dark power that crackled through his mind and blasting the small kitsune off him with his own stream of dark power. Shaking his head, he leapt back up, glaring thunderously at the unbowed the Eevee that he faced. It was inconceivable, but that Shadow Ball to the head had hurt him. He would pay Mitsuo back for his insolence no matter what.

"Mitsuo, that was awesome. Keep him at bay with a barrage of Shadow Ball!" Kiba said; she too had seen the effect that Shadow Ball had had on Zhong's Lucario, and hope blossomed anew. With a swish of his tail, Mitsuo sent a whistling hail of purple and black orbs towards Guardian, who didn't even flinch as they sped towards him.

"Guardian, try using Bone Rush instead!" Zhong commanded, and Guardian created a glowing blue bone-staff with a sweep of his hands; suddenly the dark orbs were being smashed into pieces as Guardian swept his staff left and right, parrying each leaf before it could strike and hurling himself towards Mitsuo with a dangerous snarl.

"Iron Tail, Mitsuo!" Kiba cried, hoping to catch Zhong off-guard. Mitsuo's tail glowed with power as he met Lucario's charge, and the two Pokémon fought in a vicious duel, slamming their respective weapons against each other as hard as possible with constant crackles of power. Lucario had the strength advantage but Mitsuo was using her agility to out speed his savage foe, meaning that neither had the overwhelming advantage. Zhong knew this had to change quickly; the whole close-range combat had been Kiba's idea, and for that reason he had to escape it as quickly as possible.

"Guardian, Extreme speed!" he commanded, and the bone-staff vanished as Lucario hammered Mitsuo with another volley of super-quick strikes, hitting far too hard and fast for him to dodge and finally slamming her bodily onto the ground. "Finish it with Bone Rush!"

"Dodge it!" Kiba ordered, and Lucario's bone-staff slammed onto the ground as Mitsuo sped away, before assuming a fighting stance.

"Let's try an Aura Sphere, then!" Zhong cried, seeing that they had the temporary advantage, and Lucario put his palms together, creating a blast of white aura that seethed towards Mitsuo like a blue thunderbolt.

"Mitsuo, dodge and use Iron Tail!" Kiba counter-commanded, knowing that this was the perfect chance. Mitsuo bounced into the air, propelled by his tail, and as the Dragon Pulse sped underneath he rocketed down towards Guardian, who was helpless to dodge and took the dive-bombing charge right in the stomach. He fell back with a grunt, temporarily winded, and Kiba pressed his advantage. "Now go for a Shadow Ball!"

Mitsuo hopped onto Lucario's chest, creating an orb of ghostly power and slamming it directly into his face. Guardian's features were lit up eerily purplish-black as the attack zapped him, and his mind reeled as sheer power coursed through it, directed by the Eevee he faced.

"No! Hurry and use Extreme speed!" Zhong commanded as Guardian looked set to crumble, and Lucario sped forwards, but his vision was still blurred with the Shadow Ball and he missed as Mitsuo side-stepped.

"Yes! Nice work, Mitsuo! Attack with Iron Tail!" Guardian was sent flying as a powerful blow struck his back, and he landed right in front of Zhong, panting heavily and trembling as the exertion took its toll.

"Guardian, keep it up. I know you can do this," Zhong said softly, trying to keep the anxiety out of his voice; if Guardian failed, it was all over.

It took a second for Guardian to interpret the words, as his head was still swimming with pain and aftershocks of the Shadow Ball, but he gritted his teeth as he realized the trust his master had placed in him. He was his master's last hope. Zhong had placed his trust in him, and this was how he was being rewarded? By watching his pathetic Lucario get beaten around by an Eevee? No. It would not continue. He was Guardian, his master's most faithful Pokémon. He had even faced off against Roku the Charizard in his master's interests before, and now he was falling under the assault of an Eevee. Again, the answer was no. This was where it ended. This was where he fought like a true Lucario. Roaring as much to keep himself focused as to unnerve Mitsuo, he lurched to his feet, determined to battle once more.

"He's getting angry now," Kiba murmured to his Pokémon, seeing the wildness in Guardian's eyes. "Keep him out of range with a Shadow Ball!" Guardian snarled and crossed his hands over his face as a volley of glowing seeds slammed into him, targeting his weakest areas and threatening to force him into total defeat. But he wasn't willing to fall easily, and he waited patiently for his master's instructions, praying for a chance to get even with his opponent.

"I knew you were strong enough, Guardian. Use Aura Sphere, then follow it up with Bone Rush!" Zhong bellowed, and Guardian howled along with him, ignoring the Bullet Seed completely as he fashioned a shining sphere of blue power, tossing it up into the air before creating his bone-staff again and whacking it straight towards Mitsuo. Mitsuo cried out with pain as the launched missile slammed into him, powering past his Shadow Ball and knocking him off his feet. As he opened his eyes hazily and prepared to get up, he saw Guardian standing above him, holding his bone-staff like a sacrificial knife before slamming the knobby end right between his eyes. His vision swam with a thousand blinking nights and his ears rang, but only for a second, as oblivion began to overtake him.

Guardian smiled savagely, propping himself up on his bone-staff as Mitsuo swayed back and forth. He was strong enough. He was, as ever, a credit to his master. Suddenly, however, his smile faded. He felt…strange. His limbs seemed to be robbed of all of their strength, and he yelped with horror as he realized what was happening. He was sensitive to other people's auras; so sensitive, in fact, that he had aeration syndrome, where he collapsed from 'aura overload'. The current source of the overload: Kiba. He could feel his determination throbbing like a living creature, so obvious and overwhelming it was as if it were a separate being. He had rarely known fear before, but faced with Kiba's incredible aura and Zhong's unheard-of anxiety, now was one of those times. He crumpled and fainted from exertion as the pressure of both trainers' auras pushed him over the edge, Mitsuo soon joining him.

"No!" Zhong cried, running out onto the battle-field as Lucario collapsed. He could tell the symptoms a mile away, but was it his aura or Kiba's that made him faint? But now was not the time to ask. Guardian seemed to be fine, but he needed treatment; until then, Zhong recalled him into his Pokéball. "You did exceptionally well, Guardian—even if we lost." Zhong said.

"Wow! Even after impressive combination of attacks, Lucario has cost the match for his trainer by fainting first from exhaustion! This of course means that Inuzuka Kiba and team win the match!" Ayame announced.

Walking over to Kiba, he smiled shaking his hand. "That was great battle, but it looks like this future emperor still needs some training." Afterwards, Zhong waved good-bye to Kiba and proceeded down the stone stair case with the judge following him.

From their seats in the academy stadium, both Naruto and Sakura shared looks of relief. Even though it was by a landslide, Mitsuo managed to get Kiba in the next round.

"Nice work, Mitsuo!" Kiba held his exhausted, but happy Eevee close to his body. Sitting Eevee down, he reached for Thor's ball. "You know what, let's go and get some noodles to celebrate and…"

And then it dawned on him.

Kiba's grip on the red and white ball increased and voice echoed through the forest of Du Weldenvarden as he yelled, "How the _HECK_ am I supposed to get home!"

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><p><strong>And that's another chapter. I hope it wasn't rushed, and I hope you all enjoyed it. I based Zhong Hsin on the Street Fighter character Dan. He may be a bit goofy, but when I actually played as him, he wasn't that bad. He's still no match for Ryu or Ken, but he's okay.<strong>

**Oh, and an unanswered PMs will be answered tomorrow. I've had a pretty long day, and all I want to do is relax for the time being.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey, guys, here's another update just for you. I can't thank everyone enough for the support and reviewing. Also for the remainder of season one, things will mainly focus on the tournament. **

**Enjoy the new chapter!**

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><p><span>Chapter Fifteen: V is for Victory, and Victini!<span>

§·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·¤°°¤·..·§

For his match, twelve-year-old Ishihara Nouta was transported on a boat of Royal Unova, which was headed towards a small island not far from Castelia City. Here, Nouta would have to find, and battle his opponent, who bares the mark of a glaring grass serpent.

Freeing a contented yawn from the cage of his throat, he stretched to ease some of the lingering exhaustion from the late night before, enjoying the sensation of the velvet wind kissing his skin. The saline scent it carried left a brackish taste in his mouth, though he didn't mind. The ship sailed quite a few miles away from port, and not counting the distant view of Castelia from the rear, the only visible terrain was the ocean and some occasional islands—a dramatic turn from all the forests. The Entei student and his Pokémon had taken the time to admire the change of scenery before sitting by the ship's outdoor battlefield. Trainers of all different origins and ages cheered as strings of matches were held between several Pokémon that's, so far, encouraged his Pokédex. Not only could the entertainment deck fit a battlefield, but also a juice bar, tables for outdoor dining, and even a small stage for bands to play. It truly had earned its reputation as a marvel, and Nouta doubted he'd ever see anything like it for quite some time (until he graduated from the academy), secretly thanking Tsunade for hosting the tournament.

His eyebrows twitched when the back of his chair abruptly pushed up and bumped his head. He spun around to locate the source, finding Gardevoir taking refuge behind him. The psychic Pokémon's face held a bright, rosy red tint, and she whimpered shyly, rubbing her hot cheeks with two balled fists. Curious, Nouta slid off his chair, sat down his book, and crouched down, patting his Pokémon's head. _"Hey, what's the matter?"_

Gardevoir's arm shot up, extending to point towards the cause of her uneasiness. Gallade sat a little ways away, his red eyes glued attentively onto his female counterpart and utterly dense to her avoidance of him. When Gallade took a step forward, she scrambled a step back, only confusing the swordsmen Pokémon even more. In an attempt to understand, Gallade muttered something at her, though Gardevoir only grew more flustered in response to whatever he'd said.

Suspicion crept up upon Nouta's mind, and he smirked, slyly slanting his eyes in a playful stare. _"__Gardevoir__, you don't have to be bashful—he's your protector, remember?"_

With watery eyes, the psychic Pokémon only frowned at her trainer's accusation. Nouta, on the other hand, just chuckled, petting the top of her head. _"You can't hide it, come on now."_

After a short while, as Gallade had stepped closer; Gardevoir quickly brushed past him and took a seat near the edge of the boat, away from everyone else much like Galax, a stray Zoroark Nouta received from the Pokémon Whisperer herself, Okibi. Other than the fact that he had been abandoned, Nouta knew nothing about Galax, or his trainer.

Earlier this morning, Nouta had found himself in the middle of a conversation between Okibi and Galax since he was the translator. The red haired girl had made a bet with Galax; if she could not find a trainer who's bond with his Pokémon was stronger than the one he and trainer use to, then she would release him and never bother him again.

However, Nouta's only concern at the moment was the controversy between Gallade and Gardevoir.

_Why is __Gardevoir__ acting so timid?_ The black-haired trainer pondered. _Well, I guess she's always sort of timid, but…_

Deciding to take a walk, he walked towards Gallade. His Buneary, seeing the opportunity, flipped up onto the chair and took ownership of the spot, melting into the cushions with a happy yawn. Nouta smiled at her and then went on his way, pausing slightly. As expected, the male psychic-type's frown deepened.

"_Careful—if you want her to come around, you have to stop acting so impolite and scary_," he warned the Pokémon, offering a grin. Gallade blanked out at his words, about as baffled as a toddler trying to be convinced of the meaning of life. Nouta chuckled and shook his head. _He really has no clue..._

A chime over the ship's intercom rang out in three distinct tones, followed by an announcement from one of the ship's head crewmen;

"Attention passengers. Attention passengers. The Royal Unova has docked at Liberty Garden and will remain docked until this evening. To those planning to visit the island today, please plan accordingly and exit in an orderly fashion. We're not responsible for any items lost while out on the island. Thank you, and please continue to enjoy your time!"

_"Yay, we can get off!"_ Rotom cried cheerily. His eyes practically sparkled with joy as he bounded off after the crowds. Before leaving however, he looked back at Nouta and others and shouted, _"Come on, come on. I want to see the island already!"_

The stone tower he'd seen from afar, serving as a statue of pride among Castelia's citizens, appeared much bigger now that they were on the island. When they reached the area where guides were waiting to answer questions and recount some history, most of the people on the path went astray, leaving to snap pictures at other angles or chat with friends. Rather than search for their opponent so soon, Nouta and his Pokémon decided to hear what the nearest guide had to say, listening in on his lecture.

"Liberty Tower has been around for many, many generations," the man stated through he rehearsed the speech, arm raised out over the iron fences keeping unauthorized tourists away. "According to our records, it was built by a wealthy historian who had once used the tower as a place to work on his writings. However, his works related to the study of a Pokémon of legend, so the general public dismissed his research. Some say he spent the very last of his days here, converting Liberty Tower into a place to hide the secrets on very Pokémon he'd put his life into detailing—Victini."

_Victini...?_ Nouta briefly peered into one of the pamphlets he had picked up before joining the tour group._ That must be the little Pokémon on the cover..._

The guide continued on, indifferent to his musings. "One myth even suggests that the historian ended up befriending Victini and, in his frustration and anger, locked the Pokémon here in the tower. Naturally, the inside has been searched many times, but none such Pokémon has been found."

Something clicked in Nouta's head, and he stiffened, a chill running up his spine. _Wait a minute... A Pokémon that may or may exist... Mistreated and locked in a tower by a human... Is Victini a Pokémon the People of Faith want to use for their 'liberation'?_

_"Human beings... How disgusting they are..."_

Not expecting that, Nouta glanced at Galax, somewhat startled at how coarse and hard his tone had been. His normally half-witted eyes were tapered and venomous, piercing ahead towards the olden structure. Gallade, as if sharing in his displeasure, had a scowl on his face, scaring Gardevoir to the point where she ducked back behind Nouta to hide.

"_Galax, you need to calm down. You'll make a scene,"_ Nouta said, looking around. _"I'm sure it's just a myth..."_

Irritated, the Zoroark paid his reassuring little to no interest. _"Perhaps... Perhaps not... The very idea disturbs me..."_

_Touchy...it's not like I like it either, sheesh... _Nouta thought, shaking his head. After a while, he left the tour group to see if he could explore the more desolate areas beyond the tower's fences. After cooling off a bit Gallade and the others followed after him, with Galax in tow, glaring and snarling at anyone who came too close.

Buneary squirmed in her trainer's arms as he looped around the back of the tower and came to the more hidden front side, pressing straight up against the black, metallic obstacle barring her out. No flowers speckled the area beyond the fencing, something she found weird given the rest of the island. He bent down, running a brittle blade of grass between his fingers. Almost instantly, the yellowed green strand crumbled into grainy flakes, leaving only the remains of what it'd once been.

"How sad," he whispered, rising from position. "Why don't they care for this part of the island? This is almost depressing..."

_"Nouta, I'm not sure we should be here,"_ Gardevoir told him, gesturing towards a beaten old sign with faded red words. _"This is likely restricted—"_

_"Ooh, let's go in then!"_ Rotom exclaimed, rushing over to the gate. _"There's no security or anything—the timing is perfect!"_

Nouta blinked slowly, humming. _"I wasn't really intending to trigger any sort of reverse psychology... It's unwise to break into these kinds of places after just arriving."_

Jiggling the lock to some chains around the gate, Rotom said, _"Aww, but who wants to tag around with a __**boring**__ tour group for hours? Aren't you curious at all?"_

The young man couldn't deny that, though kept his precautions. _"Well, perhaps, but it's going to be dark in an hour or two..."_

_"Psh, c'mon help us get this open! That Victini-person could be in here—you want to save it, don't you?" _Bunearyadded.

As Nouta headed toward Buneary and Rotom, Galax pointed out, _"The tour guide himself said it was just a myth…"_

_"I know, but I am curious about the local legend," _Nouta replied with a shrug._ "And, if you would be so kind as to help Buneary and Rotom out…"_

Buneary sidestepped out of the way with a slight yelp as Galax lunged at the chains, crushing the rusted metal into skewed fragments with a powerful Night Slash. The amethyst glow that lit his claws soon died down, and then he sunk onto all fours, busting through the gateway with a mighty charge. The now somewhat unhinged barred doors teetered back and forth in the wind, baring damage that would be difficult to conceal if any guards came along.

"_I…guess that's one way to open it…" _ Nouta blinked, slinking past the ruined gate.

_"If we don't get caught that is…" _Gallade added.

_"Your ghost friend said he wanted to go in. I've granted his wish,"_ Galax stated simply, following behind once securing the gate enough to at least appear believably closed if untouched.

Buneary glanced at the midnight colored vulpine, and then Nouta._"You realize that he could have just __**carried**__ us over it. His species along with mine are supposed to have incredible jumping skills."_

_"Yes, well, I highly doubt he would willingly comply with a request that involves hefting strangers..." _Nouta spoke up as the group continued on their way.

The rabbit Pokémon blew at a lock of her fur, uttering a noise of displeasure loud enough for him to hear. _"I'm not __**that**__ much of a stranger anymore…"_

Gallade chuffed at her words, as Gardevoir resurfacing from behind Nouta's back grabbing hold of the swordsman's hand, calming him down. With a chuckle, Nouta drifted around the inner confines of the fencing, his amusement snuffing out as he noticed yet more untended land. Upon closer inspection, the grass around the tower almost looked dead, and the building itself, though tall and majestic, had become coated in decay and covered in cracks. He parted some dried up vines and touched one of the stone blocks that made up the structure, recoiling at the unpleasant, grimy texture.

_"I'm starting to think this place is mainly for show…"_ Rotom concluded after searching around a bit himself, rather saddened by his observations.

_"They probably do not allow access back here because of its lack of beauty, to the point where the maintainers of the island have given up on caring to the tower itself."_ Nouta replied.

Buneary frowned, peering up at the top of the towering building. _"Well, that's no fun…"_

_"Quite…"_ The black-haired Trainer took his investigation up the small flight of stairs towards the gaping open entrance to the tower, his shoes clacking rhythmically on the stone platform just before it. _"I believe the reason we haven't encountered security is because the people see no reason to hire them for this place. They do not think, after all their previous years of search, that there is any reason to venture inside..."_

_"Let's go inside then!"_ Came the quick reply, Rotom bolting up the stairs before Nouta had time to protest. He and Buneary disappeared into the dusky shade within the next blink of an eye, their excited, gleeful squeals echoing out from the darkness. With a lopsided grin and a chuckle, Nouta entered as well, with Gardevoir, Gallade, and Galax attentively crawling behind him friend like a shadow.

The interior of the building displayed even more proof of desertion as the group descended down into its depths. The soiled walls were crawling with pipes running from the floor to the ceiling, and the only source light came from dim lamps that buzzed with age, flickering as if about to go out. Gardevoir coughed when she inhaled some dust, the musky aftertaste a bitter insult to her distress. Sensing her struggle to breathe, a caring hand touched her back, gently rubbing from her shoulder down.

_"Are you alright?"_ Gallade asked softly, eyebrows furrowing in concern.

"Ah…" For whatever reason, the psychic Pokémon hastily darted her focus away and mumbled, _"I'm fine…I can fend for myself on my own you know,"_

_"You were coughing—the air in here probably isn't very sanitary."_

_"I said I'm fine,"_ she blurted, picking up her pace to create some space between them. _"I think I see something up ahead."_

True to her word, another open doorway sat at the very bottom between two jutting walls. Bright light poured out from it much more strongly than that from the wall lamps. Exchanging decisive nods, everyone stepped through the entryway, crossed a final stretch of hallway, and entered a room quite unlike anything either of them had expected. The tiled stone floor, unlike the stone outside, had no traces of grime and little dirt dampening its appearance. An orange rug trimmed in yellow and covered in some scattered cushions, spread across a large amount of it, complimenting some of the pictures and furniture off along the north wall. The objects in the room ranged from a potted plant—still somehow growing—to a bed with green sheets, and there were even some shelves with multicolored drawers and a box of toys.

Nouta, completely taken aback, slowly worked through his shock and walked over to one of the shelves, sitting his backpack onto the floor and picking up a picture frame. The photo it held depicted an older gentleman with a smart disposition and a small tan Pokémon with bright orange hands, feet, and triangular ears pointing up in a 'V' shape. It had adorable round blue eyes and two wings as tails, appearing very joyous.

_Victini?_ he guessed, flicking up the lid of her hat. _The person must be the historian, maybe? But, they both look so happy…_

_"This place…"_

Nouta turned his attention on Galax, who had moseyed over to the toy box. His hands reluctantly touched upon an aged subway car piece resting on top of blocks and stuffed animals. Puzzled by his actions, he inquired, _"This place…what?"_

_"Ah,"_ He shook his head and retracted his hand, stepping away from the object. _"No, it's nothing…It just reminds me of another room I'm quite familiar with…and my mother."_

The forlorn, wistful sadness emanating from his answer hit Nouta hard, though confirmed something that's been eating at him for awhile. Something about Galax's personal life had really messed up his current outlook, and as much as he desperately wanted to pry, he couldn't find the words to initiate such a conversation.

_I hate it… _Nouta thought as she returned the photo and went about exploring the insides of the drawers—the contents of which mostly stacks of hand-drawn pictures and crayons. _There has to be __some way I can help Galax…I don't want him to think of all trainers are like those 'People of Faith' idiots… _

Buneary trotted around while the two humans continued intensely searching the vicinity, Gallade watching with interest when she trotted over to a fluffy pink couch to the left of the room. Once up, the rabbit yawned and stretched, her arm unexpectedly hitting something invisible and extracting a noise that nearly had him leaping to the ceiling in fright.

"V-vicuu…"

_"Eh…?"_ Nouta and the others rotated their heads over their shoulders. _"Buneary that was an unusual sound, coming from you…" _he said.

"_That was NOT me!" s_he argued, furiously pointing to the side. When she reached out to demonstrate, however, whatever she'd discovered had vanished. She poked, prodded, and even punched the open space, but still nothing. The others looked less than convinced.

_"I'm guessing that she senses that something is here with us,"_ Gallade clarified, stepping in front of Gardevoir protectively.

_"Buneary, it's probably nothing. Maybe you sat on a toy or something,"_ Nouta dismissed. _"Calm down, okay? We're trying to investigate."_

Despite her pleas, the others had already gone back to their hunt for clues, ignoring her. Gardevoir poked her head from behind Gallade, whispering quietly at the Normal-type. Buneary's floppy ears drooped, though she was far from discouraged. Oh no. She'd solve this little mystery one way or another…

Carefully waving her arms as she hopped off the couch, she hoped to hit something concealed, continuing the makeshift detecting method around every square inch of the room she could reach. She tried near the furniture, near the walls, wandering around silly as anything, but determined nonetheless. Finally, as if her target had grown curious of her, something tapped her shoulder. With a confident smirk, she whirled around and grabbed, though fell flat on her face. Another tap on her shoulder made her jump up and try again, and though she once more failed to seize the culprit, when it happened a third time, the mystery being's luck ran short. Buneary's arms caught it, and it squirmed around, lifting her up off the ground.

_"But I saw something!"_

_"Buneary, enough already,"_ Nouta scolded, only for his gaze to widen when obtaining a glimpse of his Pokémon suspended in midair. The bunny gestured wildly at something next to her, waving her paw.

"Tiniii…!"

A light psychic force enveloped Buneary and threw her off, though the light ensured she landed as lightly as a feather. Unable to see the kindness in the act, Rotom waved his thunderbolt-like arms, blasting a harsh bolt of electricity straight towards the spot where Buneary had been floated. It made contact, much to the surprise of Nouta, and the shroud of invisibility disappeared, revealing the presence's true identity.

"V…Victini...!" the Entei student gasped, mind completely blown away. Gallade, similarly, narrowed his eyes in intrigue, not as outwardly surprised, but still quite shocked. Nouta's hand instantly flew to his Pokédex, surprise morphing to unadulterated thrill and excitement.

**Victini, the Victory Pokémon.**

**This Pokémon brings victory. It is said that Trainers with Victini always win, regardless of the type of encounter.**

"Wow…It's really real—and it guarantees victory? That's so amazing…!" he smiled gleefully, stowing his recording device and Gardevoir, feeling the need to be friendly toward the small creature stepped forward to meet the new Pokémon.

_"…wait…No, Gardevoir!"_

Frightened by all the attention and the unfamiliar creature reaching her hand out for him, the floating Pokémon's instincts kicked in, attempting to aid his threatened safety. His body drew in tiny orange embers, soon bursting into a compressed sphere of fire which pulsed upward. "Viccuu…!"

"Searing Shot…That's…" Nouta tensed and glanced sideways, his fears confirmed. He froze once again, consumed by the dark roots of his phobia and unable to get any of his bodily functions to obey her. He couldn't move, couldn't blink, and by what he could tell, he couldn't even breathe anymore. Reacting out of panic alone and not fully comprehending what it was doing, Victini charged ahead towards him, time almost seeming to slow down. Galax and Gallade both were turning to hurry and stop the impending attack, but knew their efforts were in vain—they could not counter fast enough. Gardevoir would either get hit, or…

The Searing Shot collided, charring skin, and ripping a painful grunt from its victim as the flames vanished and Victini bounced off, rolling to the floor. A trembling Gardevoir, whose body now pressed firmly between the wall and something warm, slowly regained the ability to operate properly, her stomach moving in and out with her clipped, erratic breaths. Her mind raced to catch up with the situation, still clinging to some of the resurfaced memories, but all that disappeared the moment she dared to turn her gaze up, heart stopping in dread.

"_G-Gallade…?"_

His palms against the wall and arms spread on either side of Gardevoir, he hovered over her shaky frame with his front mere inches from touching her own. His face twisted in pain and his skin writhed with erratic twitches. With one eye clamped closed, he guided the best of his attention to her horrified expression, checking her for injury or lingering traces of fear.

As the corner of his mouth tugged up in a slight smile, he heaved, _"Y-you got... scared again... T-this is becoming... inconvenient for me... ugh..."_

_...Why...? _A sick remorse pooled to Gardevoir's stomach at the realization. _Why...? _She gritted her teeth, canceling out the angry beads of tears that almost fell. _Why? _She shoved him away, pounding on his chest. _"Why did you do that!"_

A bit wobbly, Gallade allowed her to lightly beat on him, perplexed by it, yet not opposed to it. _"Why? If I hadn't... you would've..."_

_"Then __**let**__ me!"_ Gardevoir cried angrily, her hits getting weaker and weaker. _"It's __**my **__problem! It's __**my**__ weakness! You should have just let me get hurt, not get hurt in my place!"_ She stopped with her arms still against him, hanging her head low.

"Tinii..."

Gardevoir slowly lifted her eyes. Victini floated apologetically behind Gallade, his own eyes dripping with guilt and sorrow. He briefly bowed with his winged tails fluttering and then swooped over to the bottommost drawer on the shelf with the photo, scooping up a roll of bandages and some ointment. Hesitant, it flew back over, shifting closer and closer towards Nouta. Victini arms shivered with his little arms anxiety. Clearly he thought that he was in danger.

Taking the medical aids from the psychic creature's tiny hands, Nouta reached up and scratched behind his ears, the mythical Pokémon blinking in astonishment at his kindness.

"I know you didn't mean it... Please, don't be so scared... We invaded your home, so... we're the ones who should be apologizing," He inwardly kicked himself for the uneasiness that clung to his voice. "We're sorry…"

"…Viccu, vicuu…" Victini murmured, pushing his fingers together. Galax hurried over to help Gardevoir lift Gallade, snarling at the dual-type, which immediately backed off, hiding behind Buneary and Rotom.

_"Gallade, sit on the bed. I need to apply this to you…"_ Nouta said.

Gallade was about to protest, though Galax held up his claw and silenced the psychic/fighting creature, doing as told and working his way over to the bed. Gallade sat down, and Nouta was now able to see the fullness of the damage he'd taken. The fire had burnt into his upper back, shredding a few layers of his skin and blackening the rim around the wound. It had burnt so much, in fact, that the blood that should have bled had been sizzled up along with the skin. Gardevoir laid her hand just below the mark, frowning.

_This is my entire fault…If only I weren't such a coward…If only he wasn't so prideful… _she thought as tears began to form.

_"You are…my friend…"_

Gardevoir's head snapped up. _"W-what…?"_

Gallade gazed back at her, contracting in pain still, yet somehow retaining that clueless, childlike innocence she'd come to know and, daresay, take comfort in. _"You're confused... as to why I did that, right? I do not really need a reason for it. You're just…Gardevoir…my friend…"_

She stared at him entranced, to which he just smiled, biting back another twinge of pain. _"If you would though… The bandages…? This could infect…"_

_"Ah... R-right..."_

Nouta twisted the cap from the small tube and applied the ointment first, which stung Gallade considerably as her hands gently rubbed it in over the reddened wound. The swordsman Pokémon ground his teeth together to keep from making protesting noises, and while it did hurt intensely, the fact that it was The Entei student's touch somehow made it less unbearable...

_I wonder if he'll be in any condition to continue within the tournament, _Nouta thought as he examined Gallade's wound. _Chances are, he won't…I'll have to store him the PC until I get back to the academy._

Once he finished with the ointment, Nouta went about bandaging his torso, his musing drawing back to Victini, who Rotom and Buneary seemed to be attempting to apologize to and befriend already.

_"Has this happened before…?"_ he asked Victini quietly after gathering some courage to speak to him telepathically. Galax also looked toward the little Pokémon in a silent stare.

Victini glanced to the side, twiddling his fingers before nodding. _"It has…"_

Inquisitive, Nouta decided to question on. _"To who? The workers here?"_

Victini shook his head this time, floating away from Rotom and Buneary over to the photo he'd studied earlier, pointing at the human in it._"Him,"_

_"The historian then—I understand. But Victini, didn't that man trap you here? You're all alone, right? Everyone talks about how the one who met you eventually grew angry and did horrible things to you…"_

_"That's not true at all!"_ Victini shook his head again, faster than the last motion. Using his psychic abilities, signified by a soft orange light, the Pokémon flooded Nouta's head with visions—more specifically, memory flashes, and all involving Victini and the historian.

Most of them were fun, happy times on the island; him writing papers while Victini napped in his lap; the two planting flowers outside or playing by the ocean. The last memory the dual-type showed him didn't seem as well-cherished. The historian had aged considerably in it, a suitcase in his hand and Victini in the very room they sat now.

_"I must leave now," the man told the mythical Pokémon, his voice carrying the grief he clearly felt. "I've realized now, my research poses a great danger to you, my friend…I cannot risk staying here now that darker minds have begun to believe my work... You hold so much limitless energy—they'll never stop searching. You're just an asset to them to 'their' dastardly plans."_

_"Tinii…?" Victini murmured, reaching out to wrap his tiny fingers around one the man's larger ones._

_Unable to hold his emotion, hot tears began to stream down the elderly gentleman's face, and he turned away from the tiny creature, taking his leave up the hall and out of the tower forever._

_"I built this room to only to protect you. Please remember that and stay where you are safe…You can bring victory to most anything or anyone…If you fell to the wrong intentions, I would never forgive myself…"_

And just like that, the mental flashes melted away, Nouta thrown back to reality. He shook his head slightly and blinked, seeing sparkles of tears shimmering in the corners of Victini's big blue eyes.

_"He was just trying to protect you. It wasn't to trap you,"_ he suggested, Galax genuinely astounded by his remark and frowning.

_"I see…"_ Victini nodded, his ears sagging low. He retrieved a fresh piece of paper and some crayons from the drawers they'd been rummaging in before, landing on the ground to start a new picture. Buneary picked up a blue crayon from the pile and sat down to help Victini, causing a little smile to appear on the tiny Pokémon. Smiling to his self, Nouta noticed as he finished up with Gallade's bandages that all the drawings hung up on the walls were of the historian and the island. He wondered how long Victini must have spent secluded in such a small, lonely room with nothing but toys, drawings, and memories keeping him company. Such a sad way of life…

_"What did Victini show you just now?"_ Galax suddenly asked, causing Nouta to blink.

_"He showed me some of his memories with the historian we were told about in History class. They were friends...and the man only asked Victini to stay here so he'd be safe," _the boy answered, quietly.

Releasing a light growl, Galax complied with his statement—unsure of what to think. A human who had done such a horrible thing for the Pokémon's best interest? For its protection? Was such a concept acceptable? Ridiculous...Or was it...? Suddenly, he wasn't sure...

_"Can you move…?" _Gardevoir asked once the bandages were wrapped. Gallade tried to reply by standing off the bed, but the results ended in failure. His knees buckled the moment he reached full stance, and Gardevoir had to catch his arm before he stumbled onto the ground. Lowering him onto the bed again with his back leaning comfortably against the wall, she sighed, plopping down next to him. _"No good I see... You took a really bad burn..."_

_"I'm sorry…" _Gallade hung his head in shame.

She shook her head._ "No, don't. This is my fault... Either way though, I'll make it up to you some day,"_

Nouta flicked his gaze to left. Gardevoir's body lagged with exhaustion, probably due to the scare from earlier. However, she still wore a smile as she and Gallade gazed into each others eyes.

From afar, he watched the mythical Pokémon, Buneary, and Rotom, drawing together on the floor like young siblings, smiling, chuckling and occasionally throwing crumpled up paper balls or crayons at each other.

Distant, he thought, _"Victini doesn't seem bothered by human company…He's a rather timid Pokémon, but a friendly one who I think is relieved to have someone around for once,"_ His frowned deepened. _"It must be hard for him…He wants to go outside, but he's afraid…and of course, he misses his friend so much…"_

Galax grunted. _"I don't really understand why he would comply with such a request if he desires freedom. He isn't trapped—the doors are open for him to leave…No one is really oppressing him, yet…he stays…"_

_"Maybe it's the same relationship we have,"_

_"Huh…?" _Galax merely glanced at the twelve-year-old boy.

_"Well after witnessing the speech of Prophecy of Light, I don't like referring to myself as a trainer very much and I don't want to call my team 'my' Pokémon…If I need their help though, they'll listen to me because we're friends," _Nouta weakly offered a shrug. _"Victini doesn't leave because he believes in his friend and what the man was trying to do for him…"_

_"Friend…"_ Galax's chest throbbed in a new foreign sensation, mind swimming in confusion. _"Hmm…"_

_"Check it out!"_

Buneary, running over and bouncing up on the bed, and Victini and Rotom, who simply levitated, gleefully hurried to present their masterpiece, the three of them holding up their picture for everyone to see. They curiously wiped their visions over every square inch of the paper. Working together, they'd drawn a simplistically cute portrait of them in the room playing with Victini. Gallade and Gardevoir had been fused together in a mesh of red, white, and green in the corner, the expression on Gallade's face was similar to that of a grumpy monster, which Nouta thought was pretty fitting, but seeing as Gallade was hurt he didn't say a thing. Buneary had clearly drawn herself. She'd picked the largest space possible for it and had decided to go with a chic pose—a beautiful sapphire drawn with a ridiculously oversized skirt to it. She'd even gone so far as to add a sparkling tiara atop her head.

_"You three…are hilarious,"_ Nouta told the three artists, his laughter doubling when his eyes snagged on the mess of black and blue fur Rotom, using his ghostly powers had scribbled out for Galax's part of the picture.

Galax stared at the picture a moment, looked to Victini, Rotom, and Buneary, stared at it a second time, and then touched a stand of his fur. _"Does that __**really**__ look like me?"_

At that, Nouta almost toppled over, laughing so hard that his stomach began to get sore. Galax shot him a glare. _"And just what is so funny about __**this**__?"_

_"I'm sorry! Honest! It's just so... f-funny...!"_

_"It is not! Give me the picture!"_ Galax glared at the three artists, stepping forward.

_"No way, this picture belongs to me!"_ Buneary snapped.

Rotom frowned. _"Who says you get to keep it? I helped colored it, too ya know!"_

Victini, much to the bickering Pokémon amusing displeasure, pushed the picture more towards Nouta. The Entei student only smiled, shrugging as Buneary sulkily crossed her arms, almost pouting. _"Not fair,"_she mumbled.

_"Oh, waah, waah—you're such a baby," _Rotom teased, as their trainer carefully folding the drawing into a neat little square and tucking it away in his bag.

"Thank you very much. Don't worry, I forgive you—especially after that," Nouta reassured the dual-type, scratching his ears again.

"Vicuuu," the Pokémon gushed delightfully, his winged tails fluttering super fast at the praise.

_"Still, for such a little Pokémon, it packs a lot of power... Hopefully I'll be able to stop by a Pokémon Center before battling."_

Outside Liberty Tower, Nouta had taken a more sneaky approach, shimmying along the wall of the structure towards one of the corners of the upper fencing. Once satisfied with his position, he crouched down with Buneary—who hugged his side— and peered through the metal bars. Being on the elevated platform had its advantages; he had an excellent view of the main parts of the garden. However, he couldn't say he liked what he saw.

"Move it, punk!" a grunt barked at a young boy, shoving him into a crowd of people they'd corralled in front of the Royal Unova's ramp. They were likely the tourists that have been out on the island when they arrived, for he could see that most people were watching the appalling scene from the decks of the cruise liner. The few officers on the island were preoccupied with keeping the platoon of grunts away from citizens and off the ship, and as such, little to no guards remained on duty near the tower. Perfect for the Prophecy of Light, but not for Nouta.

"What are you trying to do?" he heard one officer ask.

Most of the men and women in knightly uniform just laughed at his question. A female member, an elite or admin by the looks of it, decided to humor him and answer, flipping out her hand. "You simpletons really don't know, do you? We're here for Victini, of course. We plan to liberate it from this awful place and offer its potential full use."

"V...Victini? But that Pokémon isn't even real!"

"Ha! Shows how little you commoners know," the woman mocked. "Victini is _real_. You all don't think it exists because you know nothing about it! It hides by turning invisible and watching your actions."

Her statement washed the crowd of people with shock, leaving mixes of other scattered emotion in its wake. In response to the multiple murmurs of disbelief and doubt, she added, "Victini is an extremely rare and valuable Pokémon that generates limitless amounts of viable energy from its body. On top of that, it's powerful—_very _powerful. Such power attracts us here, for keeping such a Pokémon tied down to this piece of rubbish is unforgivable..."

_Just cut to the chase already… _Nouta hissed mentally. He could feel Victini trembling against his side, only stoking the fires of his fury. _I can see right through your weak lies. You all just want to _use_ Victini to further your stupid plans._

The Prophecy of Light had come to the island via a fairly large black speedboat, from what he could see. More grunts were pouring out of it, and when it finally emptied, there were about fifteen or so members flocking the area, one on guard duty for their mode of transportation. Most of them were forcefully ushering stray tourists into line like she'd seen. Nouta's fists clenched. Any angrier and his nails would break his skin.

"Hey you!"

The shout made his skin crawl. He spun his head, to his regret, for the sight made his stomach squeeze into knots.

"What are you doing up here," a grunt, male, repeated. He stomped over to him and seized his arm, yanking him from the hiding space. "We're on an investigation, so you need to clear out, boy!"

Scoffing, Nouta threw off his hand in disgust. "Don't you dare touch me," he spat.

The man growled at the boy's disobedience, though turned his attention down to Galax, his eyebrow quirking. "...Who is this?"

"My brother and sister," he lied quickly, stepping in front of the disguised Pokémon and Gardevoir. "And my brother has a short temper, so quit glaring at him."

Standing a few good inches taller than Nouta in his disguise, Galax wore an ebony suit with a dark fur trim along the neckline. His indigo and gray faded hair, long and scruffy, fell to just above the small of his back, tied in a low ponytail by the same yellow bead that held his mane as a Zoroark. Though the markings along his muzzle had disappeared, the ones outlining his eyes remained.

Gardevoir on the other hand was in her usual state, but also wearing her Wise Glasses—a gift she received from Nouta, the day she evolved into a Kirlia.

"...These two look anything like you," the man noted. "...And I see a tail coming from one of them..."

_Oh no... Um... _he could hear Galax looking at him, though his mind failed to produce any good excuses. Going with the only one she could possibly get away with, he said, "They... really like Zoroark and Gardevoir. They cosplays as one all the time in public. Mother gets so angry at them, but they just can't help it. It's one of those childhood phases, you know?" Muttering under his breath, he added, "Or do you people lack happy childhoods?"

"Why you little…"

"You want us to join the crowd by the ramp, right? Fine, we will." Nouta casually proceeded down the stone stairs with Buneary sticking out her tongue, the sound of footsteps behind him signifying the grunt had chosen to tail him. He passed a few other grunts on his way down, but only smirked.

_I just need to get close enough to that admin and her lackeys... If I can ambush the majority of them, maybe I'll get the upper hand and be able to drive them out..._ he plotted, stroking Buneary's fur as he walked. His captor muttered a rude "hurry up" and tried to push at his back, but Buneary stilled his hand, threatening to bite or whack him with her ears. That's when Nouta's luck took a turn for the worst. He suddenly felt the man's eyes staring at him.

"...You own a Buneary," he affirmed.

_"Thanks for the note, Captain Obvious,"_ Nouta thought, but instead said, "Yes, and…?"

He snickered, causing a chill to run up the boy's spine. "A male Trainer with a Buneary… So then, you're the one that's been spotted around the Victini shrine. How convenient for me!"

The man's hands were suddenly grabbed onto Nouta, attempting to bind his movement. Seeing this, Galax instinctively elbowed him in the jaw and then spun on a heel, digging a swift kick into his gut. The grunt collapsed with his hands clawing at his face crying out in agony at her offensive blows. His noises, of course, attracted the attention of his companions, who were now accompanied by some Sandile.

"Buneary, Galax, stall them for me, please! I need to get to the front!" Nouta cried, taking off in a furious run.

"Buneary!" Within a second, the Normal-type hopped from her trainer's arms and drew out her Rare Bone, prepared to halt the two grunts in their tracks. With a speed-advantage on her side, Buneary had great confidence in her ability to win.

Nouta meanwhile kept his rapid pace, weaving around corners and obstacles until he reached the widest area where he'd seen the admin confronting the crowd. He hopped atop the stone circle of the primary fountain, speaking so his voice echoed out loud and carried on the wind. "All you look here!"

Every head turned to meet him, every pair of eyes surprised and curious of his intentions. He scowled at each and every gawking stare he received from the Prophecy of Light, though hoped his determination gave the members of the crowd some reassurance. "My name is Ishihara Nouta," he announced. "I am a Pokémon trainer, and if I have to, I'll take you all down myself!"

The lowest-ranked grunts exchanged awkward glances, though their leader just snorted. "Oh, is that so? You against all of us?"

"That's right! I'm going to take out each and every one of you until you run off the island screaming!"

"Big talk for _one_ boy," the admin chided. "But it is true; we were given the order to watch out for someone of your description. Since you're kindly thrusting yourself out in the open, we'll just take your Pokémon!"

With a wave of her arm, the woman's followers retrieved Pokéballs from their belts and called out their defenses. To Nouta's displeasure, they weren't all easily picked-off Pokémon. There were some Patrat here and there, but also some Watchog and the air now beat under the strong wings of Woobat and Swoobat. The aerial force vastly outnumbered the Pokémon that utilized the ground, and though Nouta would have loved to register the bat Pokémon in his Pokédex, he knew he lacked the spare moment.

Pulling out a Pokéball, he countered their army of stolen Pokémon, sending out both Rotom and Palpitoad, who were raring to go. Buneary shot out from around a corner, having obviously won against her prior opponents. With her leading the electric ghost and toad into the fray, Nouta's confidence in his odds increased. Gardevoir watched them fretfully, reaching out for her fellow Pokémon, only to retract her hand, conflicted with her sense of duty.

"You think you can take us all on with two measly Pokémon? Your head is screwed up," a grunt yelled. "Let's get him!"

Nodding, the woman in charge of the operation pointed ahead. "Attack!"

All the Pokémon came hurtling toward her at once. Nouta took Gardevoir by the hand and jumped off the fountain, dodging the low sweep of one of the Patrat that tried to trip him with its tail. _"Counter however you can! Just knock them out!"_ he told his team.

He knew the Prophecy of Light wouldn't be so idle as to stand by and let the Pokémon do all the work. They'd go after him themselves if it came down to it, so he had to keep moving.

"Buneary…!" Buneary cried, pointing her rare bone forward. Rotom and Palpitoad, putting trust in her leadership, flew into battle without hesitation. Pokémon collided with Pokémon, attack with attack. Rotom easily maneuvered around the Woobat and Swoobat, his speedy flying out-speeding the literal dozen of bats swarming the air. He used his advantages over them well, his Discharge able to knockout a couple opponents at a time. Palpitoad and Buneary had more trouble, however. They could keep up with many of the weaker pre-evolutions and deliver some quick wins, but the Watchog were a different matter altogether. One posed a problem for the duo by itself, but the fact that they were so heavily outnumbered made it difficult now matter how many Flings, Mud Shot, Frustration, or Bubble beam attacks they made use of.

_This is bad… _Nouta thought, ducking under the arm of a grunt chasing him. _If Buneary or Palpitoad faints, there's no way I can win against all of them… _

Just as a Watchog charged up enough static to use Thunderbolt on Buneary, a thick vine swooped in and lashed across the field, sweeping many of the enemies on their backs. Nouta blinked in confusion, as did his Pokémon. _None of the members of my can use Vine Whip... _

"Hey, kid—try not to get your Pokémon killed,"

"Eh?"

The vines retracted to their source, Servine, who stood next to a Bisharp and two other Pokémon—a Mienshao and a Staraptor. The four Pokémon dispersed to aid his own Pokémon in their best interests, Staraptor taking into the air to help Rotom with winged pest patrol and the other three charging in to cut into the numbers on the ground using vines, dark energy, and fierce fighting attacks. Servine, in particular, darted speedily in next to Buneary, whose eyes glimmered in admiration of the snake's service.

"B-Buneary," she gushed to her new rival.

"Seeervine," the Grass-type replied coolly, offering the rabbit her Rare Bone, which she'd dropped in the midst of battle.

Nouta, happy but very bemused, glanced around until his focus landed on the Royal Unova. A man with short blonde hair and piercing blue eyes was leaning over the railing of the lowest deck, a Pokéball in his hands and a scowl on his face.

"Don't stand there staring at us, drive them out," he yelled to Nouta.

The black-haired trainer felt a warm swell of pride at the man's help, and with his Pokémon allying with him, everything suddenly seemed more achievable. He nodded confidently.

"Ha, now I've got you!" A grunt shouted using Nouta's distracted attention against him. He grabbed around his waist in a way that nearly crushed his arm. Despite his struggling, the grunt's physical might greatly outmatch his.

"L-let me go!" he said, going as far as to try press the pressure point of the man's arm.

He paid it no mind, for the chain-mail under his cloak kept Nouta from doing any harm to his skin. "Our Master will be real happy to see a trainer tied up and bound!"

Gardevoir, who'd escaped when her trainer had been seized, gazed out fearfully as the man attempted to drag her human companion away. Shivers racked her body. Her heart beat within her ears. Once more, she reached out, yet retreated at the last minute. Would Nouta be taken away? No. She didn't want that. She didn't want that at all. Gathering every inch of strength from the deepest depths of courage that rested dormant beneath her foul memories, she picked herself up and ran after the grunt.

When he noticed her, he scowled, swinging back his arm momentarily to hit her. "This is human business! Get lost!"

She flinched, but refused to waver. Her resolve to save Nouta had grown stronger than her fear, even if just for this one moment. With a hum, she began to charge a condensed sphere of cyan energy, and crossed her arms, hurling it at the man. Too bewildered by her identity to move, the intense Stored Power struck him clean in the torso, melting into a wave of psychic energy that crept steadily across his body until he couldn't move a muscle. Nouta managed to pull himself free, gawking at his Pokémon impressively.

With another hum, Gardevoir charged up multiple rainbow colored leaves and sent them roaming out towards other grunts. The island-turned-battlefield steadily became covered with multicolored leaves, and some grunts, intimidated by the Gardevoir's sheer power, ditched their duties and retreated to their speedboat, abandoning their Pokémon.

"Where do you all think you're going?" the admin demanded, watching with ire as they left. "If we fail here because of one stupid kid, it'll be cause for expulsion!"

"Gardevoir…" Nouta ran to his Pokémon, smiling as beads of tears had pooled into the corners of psychic creature's eyes. Gardevoir hugged her trainer, smiling affectionately. The brunette beamed, holding her close. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. Thank you for helping me."

To the complete disgust of the woman leading the Victini operation, the numbers on the Prophecy of Light side were steadily dwindling down. All the Patrat had been effectively taken out thanks to the combined fortitude of the Unova Pokémon. Mienshao had impaired quite a few of the Watchog, and Bisharp's dark attacks were able to hold the Woobat and Swoobat long enough for Rotom's electric attacks to send them out of the sky.

The Elite resentment rose, and finally she'd had enough, grabbing a Pokéball from her own belt. "You think you've won, don't you, little boy? We'll see about that!"

She tossed the device, calling forth a Pokémon that stopped all others in their tracks. The creature resembled a thorny plant with black rings and iron spikes upon its armored shell. It had hard, unfeeling yellow eyes that stared ahead to every Pokémon with condescending cockiness, and it used its three vine-like arms to hold itself up on spiky padded feet. Nouta had no idea what to make of the new opponent, so relied upon his Pokédex.

**Ferrothorn, the Thorn Pod Pokémon. **

**It fights by swinging around its three spiky feelers. A hit from these steel spikes can reduce a boulder to rubble.**

"Ferrothorn, eliminate these pests!" the woman ordered. "Gyro Ball on the double!"

Retracting its three feelers close to its body, the dual-type spun like a dangerously fast-moving top, launching itself out at the other Pokémon. Only Rotom and Staraptor were able to avoid contact with the attack. Buneary, Palpitoad, Servine, Bisharp, and even Mienshao—who's strong fighting attacks should have dealt a threat to the new Pokémon—were all struck and thrown into the dirt. When they tried to get up, the Ferrothorn just spun around and hit them again. The matched almost turned into a pinball machine, with the Gyro Ball bouncing off its targets like bumpers again and again. Bisharp and Palpitoad were eventually knocked out, and Buneary and Servine were close to it.

_They weren't kidding when they said they'd get permission to use stronger Pokémon. This is bad_. Nouta thought, watching as the Ferrothorn stopped using Gyro Ball to use Power Whip on the Pokémon above, its crushing arms successfully yanking them from their safety in the air. _If I don't do something, it's all over! _

As if sensing her discomfort, the admin smirked, prepared to end the fight in the most painful manner possible. "Finish them all with Pin Missile!"

The Ferrothorn tilted its pod body so its thorny spikes pointed outward towards the fallen Pokémon. The tips of the spikes began to glow, and Nouta braced himself for the worst. _Curse it all!_

Out of nowhere, a comet of fire struck straight into the powerful dual-type Pokémon, crashing it straight into a tree. Nouta, the admin, and the crowds gathered by both the ramp and ship railings gazed out towards the ripping meteor, all eyes widening in shock when the flames dispersed to reveal the very Pokémon they'd dismissed as an imaginary child's tale.

"V-Victini…" The Entei student awed. "Why did you…?"

The tiny Pokémon floated down in front of him, the crowds, and the Pokémon, its determination fierce until it looked towards Nouta. Smiling, it held up two fingers in a victorious 'V' shape, winking one eye. "Tinii-"

"V-Victini…That's Victini…!" Rushing over to Ferrothorn, the woman cried, "That's it, we've found it! Hurry and apprehend it!"

The hulking Pokémon slowly heaved itself up, once again spinning out in a Gyro Ball. Victini, relishing in its new-found boldness, surrounded itself in yet another teardrop of flame, Nouta cringing a bit at being so close to the fire but still awestruck. The Searing Shot should have been heavily effective, but the Ferrothorn's Gyro Ball proved to be equally as formidable. The two attacks deflected off each other. If one hit, the other bounced back and returned it. Hit after hit, strike after strike, fire and steel clashed in an epic bout, everyone gritting their teeth in anticipation for a winner.

Unexpectedly, the steel pod unleashed an arm during amidst its spinning, the resulting swing cracking like a whip over Victini. It cried out in agony and slammed into the ground, the flames upon its body scattering into a shower of embers. Nouta stared at the sight in horror. "Victini!"

"Vi…Vicuu…" It pushed itself up out of the discards of earth its impact had uplifted. With exhaustion hanging off its limbs, it limply raised its head, petrified as Ferrothorn began to make its way over to collect it. Clinching its hands, it sought for strength... For the power to defend the home it loved so much…

"You can do it Victini!"

The tiny Pokémon blinked. "…T-tinii?"

The cheer had come from a child from the crowd—a little boy. His younger sister, presumably, added to the cheer, crying out, "Yeah, you can win! You have to win! Make the meanies go away!"

The praise and best wishes increased, growing louder and emanating from more and more people. Soon, cheers were flying left and right from every person on and below the Royal Unova, all encouraging Victini not to give up. The mythical Pokémon gazed out at the humans, all supporting and kind... None of them wanted to capture it—all were hopeful for its victory.

_"Go for it, Victini!"_ Nouta told him, his voice more prominent than the rest. _"Protect your home!"_

"Tinii…" The moral support seemed to be just what it needed. Closing his eyes, he charged up potent flaming power, his body erupting in a light crimson aura. Ferrothorn stopped in its tracks, becoming very wary of approaching without strategy.

"What are you doing, you useless thing?" its trainer yelled. "Hurry up and bring it here!"

With a grunt, the Ferrothorn reached out to take hold of Victini. The moment one of its ropey arms touched upon the little Pokémon, however, Victini's ears erupted in "V" shaped fire, compressing power so hot that the internal center of the flames blazed in a blinding white. The resulting release of energy sent visible pulses through the garden, a spectacle that had everyone, even the Prophecy of Light, marveling. The parts of the innocent island that had been scared in the fighting, when brushed over by the red aura, grew anew with abundances of fresh grass and rejuvenated flora. Already the island had transformed, looking as though it'd been reborn after a terrible war, and as if to send the message not to return and damage it again, Victini aimed his flaming ears proudly forth and struck, the resulting collision enveloping the Ferrothorn in a spiral flare which spun up towards the sky like a fiery tempest.

Unsurprisingly, when the explosive display smoldered out, Victini remained fighting fit while the Ferrothorn had fallen.

"That was…V-Create…" Nouta heard the admin murmur, her voice shaky and defeated. "That power… That power could have been ours!"

Each of the fallen Pokémon on the elite's side of the fight was suddenly recalled into their Pokéballs. Her brow twitched, and she turned to find the last of her allies rushing to take refuge in their black vessel. Many were yelling about the dread of reporting their failure, and others were furious—angry that what should have been a simple operation had been thwarted by the efforts of one Trainer and their own target. The woman's rage only boiled when she noticed that the associates she'd sent to investigate the tower were running back as well, all with panicked expressions.

"Where do you think you ninnies are going? I gave you a job!" she screamed.

"That's an amusing concept…I don't remember anyone giving you permission to enact a mission here,"

"Tch, and who are you to—" The woman's words shriveled up into pathetic squeaks the moment she sought out the identity of the new speaker. The blonde man, with Galax, in his original form had gracefully jumped off the platform of Liberty Tower and landed not two feet behind her. The woman's blood ran cold with fear as she became caught in the ensnaring labyrinth of his stare, her knees beginning to shake. "M-My…l…"

_"Galax, your trap worked!"_ Buneary cheered from her spot rather far from them, tasking herself with seeing to her and her friend's Pokémon. _"Tell her off!"_

"I..." the woman mumbled, yelping frightfully when the man's hand curled into her shoulder hard enough to leave a mark. Expressionless, he leaned down close to her ear, uncomfortably close.

"You will say nothing of this, collect that Pokémon you treated so disturbingly horrid and leave—now."

The woman trembled, hand already flying to Ferrothorn's Pokéball. Once the utterly defeated dual-type had been safely returned to its container, she glanced towards the speedboat where her fellow grunts were piling into, nervous. "I-I'm on strict orders from Our Master," she whispered. "S-surely you understand…"

"I do not care where your orders came from. Leave immediately, otherwise you won't be so easily forgiven…"

To add threat to his warning, Galax ferociously bared his fangs, icy eyes sharp enough to shatter a mirror. She intelligently chose not to fight him on the subject again, silently releasing herself from his grip and hurrying to join her companions. Nouta blinked, unable to fully hear their conversation, yet receiving a strange, ominous vibe from the way it appeared to go down. _Galax…?_

Soon, Liberty Garden became peaceful once more and free of the Prophecy of Light. The onyx ship which had brought them eventually sped away, disappearing into the distance as if never existing at all. The officers quickly took to their duties, scouring the island for any unseen damage. The crowds, on the other hand, were much more interested in Victini. The poor little Pokémon panted with fatigue, leisurely floating down to the ground with a little sigh. To his absolute shock, a pack of children rushed over and lifted him back up in a tight hug, tossing him up and down in the air as they cheered for his victory over the evil Prophecy of Light. Some of the children even mimicked it, acting out the entire event with one child as Victini and one as the Ferrothorn. The adults weren't left out either. They were all chatting, amazed… stunned... proud of having such a wonderful guardian… Some even snapped pictures. Victini gradually grinned, letting the humans celebrate it as tears of joy streamed down his face.

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"Victini," Nouta murmured, unable to help but smile himself. _See? We're not so bad. You can finally stop hiding. _

Thinking that it was best of they rested a bit, Nouta, and the group traveled down into town towards the Pokémon Center. Inside, the people of it were gossiping, and anxiously about Victini, and of course, the Prophecy of Light. Thankfully, there wasn't an unusually long line he had to wait in, and Nurse Shizune was more than happy to see the tired Pokémon, and checked them into the restoration machines. A trademarked jingle over the intercom which would indicate the completion of his Pokémon's healing. But until then, he chatted with Okibi over the PC network.

"Ah, so that's Victini?" she asked from the PC screen of the center. She had moved in closer to get a better look at the tiny creature. "He's a cute little guy, isn't he?"

"Yeah, but he can be little shy around people," the pale boy answered as the duel-type creature floated behind him, and peered at the red haired girl shyly.

Okibi nodded, signifying that she understood. "And how are things with Galax?"

"Believe it or not, he actually found his trainer," Okibi leaned in a close as she could upon hearing this. "He also decided stick around with me and the others for a little while longer and..."

"And...?" She knew that Nouta wasn't giving her all of the details.

"And," The black haired boy leaned in closer to finish what he had to say. "He's part of the Prophecy of Light..." Saying this, he peered at the man's uniform—the bright yellow cross on his chain-mail shimmered in the florescent light.

"Well, you can't blame him," Okibi shrugged, as she leaned back in her computer chair sighing. "I would do the same thing if my trainer abandoned me. And realizing that his trainer is part of that cult makes it even harder on him."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Said Nouta with a shrug of his own. He concisely peered at Arata from the corner of his eyes. "But it perplexes me...he doesn't seem brainwashed like all of the other members. And he actually seems friendly with his Pokémon."

"Kind or not, be careful around this man, Nouta," she stated, giving the boy a serious look. "And try and keep from battle him. I mean, if he wins, he may liberate your Pokémon. Or worse, he may force you to join that horrible cult."

"I will," he assured her. "And besides; I really don't think I could pull of the medieval-look."

The dark-skinned girl shook her head, her red hair swishing as she did so. With a smile, she replied, "Good, and I'll see you when you get back to academy, alright?"

"Right,"

After saying good bye to Okibi, and receiving his Pokémon from Shizune, Nouta reached into his pocket and pulled out the small slip of paper with the marking of the serpent. And then, he looked over at Galax and his trainer. Since Galax was in his human disguise, the scene appeared as two men having a serious staring contest.

_Okibi is right,_ he thought with a serious expression. _I should be careful around this man._

He turned his back towards the two, and once again, he was facing the PC's screen. I wonder_ if I can get any information on him..._

From his Pokétch, Nouta knew that this man went by the name of Hajime Arata. He switched on the PC that Pokémon Center provided and inserted his academy ID card into a slot located on the side of the machine. He then typed in his ID number and the Trainer database popped up on the screen of the laptop. Using the mouse, he moved the cursor to the 'SEARCH' box and clicked the left button of the mouse before typing 'Hajime Arata'. He promptly pressed 'ENTER' and several options appeared on the screen like 'PERSONAL INFO' and 'POKÉMON'. The black-haired boy clicked on 'POKÉMON' almost immediately. On cue, a window, which displayed all of Arata's Pokemon, popped up. After giving it some thought, he clicked on the picture of Galax. He was curious on to see the man's strength since Galax seemed powerful. Several seconds later, Galax's data popped up on the screen.

**Zoroark**

**Nickname: Galax**

**Offense:?**

**Defense:?**

**Special attack:?**

**Special defense:?**

**Stamina:?**

**Speed:?**

**Overall battle level:?**

Nouta's furrowed his brows in slight irritation. He went back a page and clicked on 'Servine'. The grass snake Pokémon's data was similar to Galax's data. He sighed vehemently as his patience was wearing thin. He decided to make one more attempt and clicked on 'Mienshao'. The Entei student did not believe in the saying 'third time's the charm' but in this situation, he was hoping that the third time would be the charm. Unfortunately, his hopes were squashed as the data of Arata's Mienshao was the same as the previous two.

Giving up, Nouta frowned. _"Just great. The Trainer database doesn't have anything on this man. I haven't a clue on how strong his Pokémon are but based on the battle he presented with Prophecy of Light, he must be powerful."_ he tapped the desk with his fingers and thought, _"I guess this is expected since he's part of that cult..."_

He leaned back into his chair and calmed himself. _"It doesn't matter anyway,"_ he thought. _"My team and I are still going to try our hardest despite the fact that this guy has more experience than me."_

With that said, Nouta went back to the home page and logged out. He then stood up, dusted himself off and walked towards Arata and Galax.

"I didn't get to introduce myself yet," he said clearing his throat. "My name is Ishihara Nouta. And you?"

"Hajime Arata," the blonde man answered. "Probably recognize my name from Zoroark's ID, correct?"

Nouta nodded slowly, taking in as many of the man's features as possible. After a short while, however, he noticed a mark on Arata's neck. As the man turned to stretch a little, it became more visible, and Nouta was able to identify it as the serpent's mark from the paper.

"That mark," he said suddenly, causing both Galax and Arata to look at him. "You're my opponent for the tournament...!" he gasped slightly.

The blonde man smirked slightly, touching the mark. "Am I now? Well, let's see if you can do something about my boredom."

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Outside of Liberty Garden was chosen as the site where Nouta would have his battle with Arata. Speaking of which, both of them decided that they should flip a coin to see who would call the first command. Arata chose heads which meant that Nouta had to settle for tails. The blonde man then flipped a coin into the air before holding out his palm. After a few flips in the air, the coin landed on Nouta's open palm. It was heads.

Rotom, ever the eager Bibarel, floated towards his position on one end of the battlefield. Galax took a step forward and looked across the field. Nouta followed the Zoroark's gaze and saw Arata together with his Servine. The pair of trainer and Pokémon had a disinterested air around them but Nouta could tell that they were regarding the battle with utmost seriousness.

The spectators of the academy waited for the battle to start just outside the battlefield. For Naruto, Kiba, Tenshi, Chris and Frost, it was a chance to observe the strength of their competition. For Sakura and Blaze, there was really no point of being there but in this case, they were there to watch along everyone else until called for their next contest battle.

"So, who do you guys think will win?" Tenshi asked the million-dollar question.

Chris answered her question first. "I'm gonna have to go with this Arata person…he carries a certain type of confidence that makes him an extremely hard opponent to beat." He paused a moment before he resumed, "No offense to Nouta but I think he's gonna get creamed."

"I think so too," Kiba agreed with him. "I can tell that Arata is a highly experienced trainer just by looking into his eyes. I'm curious to see how strong his team is but judging from his earlier statement, it must be one of, if not the strongest Pokémon in his team."

"Hey, don't belittle Nouta's capabilities like that," Naruto defended Nouta. "I haven't exactly seen him battle, or talk...but I'm sure he's pretty strong."

Sakura folded her arms across his chest and observed Nouta for a moment. She then said, "Naruto's right. I enjoy rooting for the underdog and I'll bet a large Mago berry smoothie that he'll pull off an upset."

Kiba fixed the pink haired girl with a deadpan expression present on his face. "I'd be surprised if anyone would bet with a Mago smoothie addict such as you."

The brown-haired boy got a whack on the head for that little comment.

"A two-on-two Pokémon battle between Nouta and his opponent is about to begin," Ayame announced as she stood on a raised platform on the side of the stadium. "As we all know, substitutions are allowed for both combatants and the battle will continue until one team of Pokémon is rendered unable to battle."

"Palpitoad, go!" Nouta exclaimed as he lofted a Pokéball into the air, thereby releasing the water and ground duel type Pokémon.

The apathetic expression never left Arata's face as he scrutinized Nouta's Palpitoad from head to toe. "Not a bad," he observed. The enigmatic man then withdrew a Pokéball and whispered, "Show them your will, Mienshao."

The Pokéball in his hand deftly released a red beam which struck the ground in front of Arata. The beam of energy subsequently materialized into the Martial Arts Pokémon, Mienshao. The Fighting-type Pokémon gazed at Palpitoad speculatively before assuming a proper battle stance.

_"Start out with Mud Shot,"_ Nouta instructed.

Palpitoad promptly took in a huge intake of air before releasing a stream of mud from his mouth towards Mienshao.

"Interesting. Use Vacuum Wave," Arata ordered softly.

The Martial Arts Pokémon nodded at her Trainer's command and angled her body sideways. She then held out her left whip-like arm and began moving it a circular motion. The arm glowed white as she spun it faster and faster. As a result, a horizontal tornado was fired from her arm towards the oncoming Flamethrower.

Both attacks struck at the center of the battlefield. The Mud Shot and the Vacuum Wave were fighting for dominance but in the end, the Vacuum Wave won the little skirmish as it engulfed the Flamethrower and continued on its route towards Palpitoad at a blinding speed.

_"Dodge it!"_ Nouta called out quickly.

The dual-type Pokémon heeded his trainer's call as he leaped to the right, narrowly avoiding the Vacuum Wave as it struck the spot where he was standing. Once the tornado subsided, a crater with a radius of about two hundred centimeters was present for everyone to see.

The black haired trainer gave out a sigh of relief. _That was too close for comfort…_

Unfortunately for him, he was not given anymore time to ponder on what could have become of his Palpitoad had the Vacuum Wave hit its mark as Arata commanded, "Force Palm, Mienshao."

Nouta's attempt to call out a counter move was shot down as Mienshao's paw came into contact with Palpitoad's chest a second after Arata gave the Martial Arts Pokémon the command. Mienshao then channeled her aura into her paw as a light green blast erupted from it and struck the amphibian at point blank range. Palpitoad was sent skidding backwards before coming to a halt. However, the water Pokémon's ordeal was not over yet as yellow sparks surrounded his body. The dual-type Pokémon gave out a grunt of pain as paralysis came into play.

"Mach Punch," Arata chained his commands.

Mienshao crouched down low to the ground before darting forward with a glowing arm, intent on giving Palpitoad the finishing blow.

_"Execute Counter Shield,"_ Nouta commanded firmly. _"Do it just like we practiced."_

The duel-type Pokémon disregarded the fact that he was in a state of paralysis as he jumped into the air and spun around, engulfing his body in a thin film of water and mud in the process. He was far from done as he combined the Mud Shot with Bubble beam, releasing muddy globs everywhere.

The Fighting-type Pokémon halted her attack as her focus had switched from dealing Palpitoad a finishing blow to dodging the fire whips. Despite her speed and agility, one fire whip found its mark as it struck her right arm. Mienshao's face contorted in slight pain as the fur on her right arm was singed.

Nouta saw his chance and ordered, _"Quick, execute Mud Shot!"_

The mud globs erupting from Palpitoad's body ceased as it spun from the air towards Mienshao. Pain washed over Mienshao's entire body as she was struck by the Mud Shot and sent sliding backwards.

_"Keep up the pressure, Palpitoad!"_ Nouta cheered.

Palpitoad complied with his trainer's cheer as he commanded him further, _"Bubble beam, go!"_

Palpitoad immediately uncurled himself, thereby canceling the previous attack. He then aimed towards Mienshao and began to pummel her with a beam of explosive bubbles. Though most of them found their mark, Mienshao prevented the bubbles from hitting her vital spots by skillfully blocking them.

"Enough," Arata announced coldly. "Mienshao, Drain Punch."

Mienshao dodged one more punch from Palpitoad before landing a swift punch into the duel-type Pokémon's stomach, preventing him from continuing his assault upon her. All the air escaped from Palpitoad's lungs as he hunched forward. Green sparks surrounded his body as they traveled from his body onto Mienshao's body via her arm.

"Oh, no!" Nouta called out in concern.

"End it with Mach Punch," Arata ordered.

The Martial Arts Pokémon whispered her apologies into Palpitoad's ear before executing the attack. Her arm once again glowed white as she pulled it back and slammed it into the amphibian's stomach, sending him flying backwards and crashing onto the ground about five feet from where Nouta, Buneary and Galax was standing.

Nouta and his companions promptly rushed over to Palpitoad to see if the duel-type Pokémon was alright. Said Pokémon gave them a weak and tired smile before collapsing onto the ground in fatigue.

The Entei student sighed and offered his partner words of comfort before returning him back into his Pokéball. Nouta then stood up, returned to his assigned position and turned to face Arata.

"That was amazing. How did your Mienshao get so strong?" he asked.

Arata shrugged and vaguely replied, "Fresh air and lots of exercise." The sapphire-eyed man then returned Mienshao back into her ball.

Buneary childishly pouted. _"Is he even capable of giving direct answers?" _she wondered with annoyance.

"Wait a minute," Naruto wondered out loud, "How can Nouta's Palpitoad lose after being hit only three times? I'm sure that it's stronger than that."

Kiba smirked before he elaborated, "I can explain. Palpitoad's downfall began after it was hit by that Force Palm. This caused it to experience a status ailment; paralysis. Then, Nouta ordered him to use Close Combat. Though the strength of Palpitoad's attacks has increased, it had to sacrifice its defense as compensation. Arata took advantage of that small dip by ordering his Mienshao to use high-powered attacks like Drain Punch and Mach Punch." he paused for a moment before he stated, "From watching that battle, Arata was probably thinking at least ten steps ahead of Nouta. If my observation proves truthful, then defeating Arata would require you to exert every fiber of your being into the battle plus a huge amount of luck."

Naruto complained. "All I heard was blah blah blah until you got to luck."

Kiba smirked. "It's not my fault that you are not bestowed with a high IQ like moi," he boasted.

The prideful boy got another whack to the head for displaying his high-and-mighty attitude.

Frost kept his peace but made a note in his head to do a little scouting on Nouta.

_"Buneary, are you ready?"_ Nouta asked the normal-type creature.

Buneary quickly nodded and entered the battlefield in response to her trainer's question. As usual, Buneary's determination was sky high, much like her energy. Nouta knew deep in his heart that Servine was stronger than her but that did not mean he did not deserve a battle with the grass snake. Buneary's goal was set. She was going to defeat whatever Pokémon Arata sent out and prove to Servine that she deserved to battle her.

"Your Pokémon is filled with vigor," Arata observed. "Unfortunately, passion alone will not earn her a battle with Servine. However, I will humor your Buneary with the next best thing. A battle with Servine's prodigy."

"Servine's prodigy?" Nouta echoed curiously.

"Yes," Arata confirmed. The sapphire-eyed man then lobbed a Poke Ball into the air and watched as it burst open in a bright shade of light to reveal a reptilian Grass-type Pokémon. Most of its body was green in coloration and it had a cream-colored underside. A yellow stripe ran down the length of its back and tail and it also had yellow markings around its large eyes. Yellow, curved structures protruded from its shoulders and bent backwards. These structures resembled leaves or small wings, as well as a fleur-de-lis when viewed from the back which gave the Pokémon the appearance of wearing a collar. Its slender arms were the same green color as the rest of its body and had three fingers, while its tiny feet matched its underside in coloration and had no digits whatsoever. It had a large, palmate leaf with three prongs on the end of its tail. It knelt on its right leg as it landed on the ground. Very slowly, it rose and opened its eyelids, revealing gray irises.

Nouta tilted his head in confusion. _"A Snivy...of course,"_ he thought to himself. Frankly, he was expecting a Grass-type Pokémon. It seemed fitting, as well as predictable.

Arata merely nodded and introduced the Snivy to everyone present in the area. "Everyone, meet Amiri who is also Servine's younger brother."

The Snivy gazed at Servine standing outside the battlefield and gave her a subtle nod. He then switched his attention to Buneary who was standing on the opposite side of the battlefield. The Grass-type Pokémon simply smirked at the rabbit Pokémon and taunted her by raising his right hand and motioned her to come forward.

Buneary sighed. It was as if she was facing off against her forest friends again. However, she was grateful that the Pokémon in her sights was of a different species, and preferred it that way.

_"Buneary, use Frustration,"_ Nouta commanded, taking the initiative once again.

Upon hearing this, Buneary prepared herself for one of her trademark temper tantrums; during this attack, she would hitting the opponent with her arms, smacking the target with her powerful ears, and stomping or kicking with her legs.

"Dodge and fire multiple Energy Balls towards your opponent," Arata countered.

Amiri effortlessly sidestepped all the assault before forming an Energy Ball in his hands and firing it at Buneary. The Snivy then altered his position on the battlefield before firing another Energy Ball at his opponent. He repeated this pattern several times and soon enough, multiple Energy Balls were on a direct collision course with Buneary.

Nouta immediately ordered, _"Quick, avoid those Energy Balls!"_

Buneary did just that as she jumped, rolled and weaved around the Energy Balls with relative ease due to her amazing speed and agility. The green orbs of energy struck her side of the battlefield, marring it with charred black spots.

_"Now, combine that with your Fling attack!"_ Nouta instructed, his words laced with determination.

The rabbit Pokémon shot forward with an amazing burst of speed which made it seem as though she had created several copies of herself. The copies plus the real Buneary who was hidden amongst them circled Amiri and one would sporadically break from the circle to attack him. For a while, the strategy seemed to pay off as Amiri was continually hit by the copies and Buneary. However, Amiri quickly adjusted to the situation as the grass snake Pokémon drew out two vines and swung them around, hitting and therefore canceling out the copies. Soon enough, one vine made contact with the real Buneary who staggered a bit as she was struck on her cheek. Amiri deftly grasped the opportunity as if presented itself. The grass-type Pokémon promptly shot out a vine and wrapped it around Buneary's body. He lifted her and spun her in the air twice before slamming the rabbit Pokémon back onto the ground.

"Leaf Blade," Arata commanded as soon as Amiri retracted his vine.

The leaf on Amiri's tail glowed light green as it extended into a sharper form. The Snivy then jumped into the air and began executing a series of front aerials, causing him to resemble a circular saw like the ones found in sawmills. Gravity soon came into play as it pulled Amiri back down towards Buneary. If the circular saw were to come into contact with her, the battle would surely come to an end. Fortunately for Buneary, Ash quickly devised a counter.

_"Buneary, please hurry and get up! You have to deflect his attack with Fling!"_ Nouta exclaimed.

Buneary, with slight difficulty, stood up and her eyes immediately shot upwards. Amiri was coming in fast. Luckily, she was blessed with a great battle sense as she readied her rare bone and performed a back flip. The ivory bone collided against the green tail of Amiri. Silver and green energy sparked off the area where their tails came into contact. With supreme effort, Buneary overcame the odds as she pushed against Amiri and managed to force the Snivy to do a back flip in mid-air.

Seeing the Snivy's stunned state, Nouta told Buneary to use one of her strongest attack. _"Again, Buneary! Attack with Mirror Coat!"_

Once Buneary landed on her feet, she sprinted towards the stunned Amiri. Gradually, her body became cloaked in a bright silver aura. With ten feet separating her and Amiri, she leap forwards and rammed into Amiri. The Snivy was blown backwards but since the grass-type Pokémon was slightly resistant to psychic-based attacks, Amiri managed to land on his feet as he skidded backwards. However, the Snivy had a slightly pained expression on his face, signifying that he indeed felt the effects of the Mirror Coat despite the resistance to the attack.

"Man, what a nice fight," Kiba remarked. "For a couple of Pokémon who aren't in the final stage of their evolutionary line, they're both putting up quite a show."

"Evolution does not necessarily mean your Pokémon is stronger," Frost added.

_"Great job, Buneary,"_ Nouta praised. _"Just keep it up and we'll win this match for sure."_

The atmosphere grew very silent when Nouta stated that. A dry tumbleweed rolled past the battlefield, accompanied by the sound of a hollow, dry wind as Buneary stared at the opposing Pokémon. Arata himself looked at Galax. He found it a little odd that this battle would stir his interest, even if it was just by a small fraction.

"It would seem that Buneary has caught your eye," he stated the obvious.

Galax stayed silent but Arata detected the subtle change in the scarred Buneary's body language. She had indeed caught his eye.

_"Okay, Buneary. Jump into that hole!"_ Nouta ordered.

On her trainer's command, Buneary deftly jumped up and burrowed deep into the tunnel. After several seconds, she appeared behind Amiri and launched a Fling attack. She smashed her rare bone into the grass Snake Pokémon's back, forcing Amiri onto his stomach. He hissed in slight pain. The effects of the previous Mirror Coat had not worn off. When he turned around, Buneary was already underground. He hissed again, this time in slight annoyance.

The rabbit Pokémon repeated this tactic several times and the frustration was evident on the grass-type Pokémon's face. Arata detected this and advised Amiri, "Keep your emotions under wraps, Amiri. Just replay all the training you have undergone with Servine."

The grass snake took a deep breath and relaxed. He then closed his eyes and concentrated on feeling the vibrations in the ground with his feet. A few pebbles rattled behind the Snivy. Predictably, Buneary shot out from the ground and launched another Fling assault. This time however, Amiri was ready. He sidestepped the attack and grabbed hold of Buneary's rare bone and spun her around twice before slamming her onto the ground, knocking the wind out of Buneary, and throwing her back to her side of the battlefield.

_"Buneary, are you okay?"_ Nouta called out in concern. She did not give any response to her trainer's call as he tried to stand up.

"Vine Whip, Amiri," Arata instructed without giving Buneary a chance to recuperate.

The Snivy caught on to his Trainer's plan as he withdrew two vines and whipped Buneary, sending her down to her knees.

"This battle has come to an end," Arata announced. "Amiri, Shadow Tornado," he commanded in an ominous tone.

_"Shadow Tornado?"_ Nouta and the spectators echoed in confusion. They all thought, _"Isn't it supposed to be Leaf Tornado?"_

Amiri closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His body suddenly became surrounded by a black aura. When he lifted his eyelids, his eyes were no longer gray in color. Instead, they were amber in color like Servine's eyes. The Snivy promptly jumped into the air and turned upside down before swishing his tail. Rather than a green tornado with glowing leaves, this action formed a purple and black tornado which Amiri mercilessly whipped towards Buneary.

"_Buneary, try using Mirror Coat at full power!"_ Nouta called.

The pale-faced boy could only watch as his Pokémon was engulfed by the dark-based tornado and slammed into the ground with great force. Once the tornado subsided, both Pokémon were still standing, and breathing heavily. After a short while however, the winner had been declared; the Pokémon continued to stare at each for what seem like the an eternity until the two of them collapsed from exhaustion. Amiri was the first to go down, naming Buneary the winner of the round.

Nouta approached his fallen teammate, who smile up at him for the very first time. _"You did a great job, Buneary. But for now, take a rest."_ he recalled the rabbit Pokémon to her ball.

"Not bad," Arata said as he recalled Amiri for a rest as well. "I'll have to remind myself not to take you so lightly this final round."

Nouta nodded and sent out his next choice; Rotom. As for his opponnet, his choice was one of his Pokémon. One he hadn't used against his fellow brethren of the Prophecy of Light and plenty of energy; Espeon.

Nouta adjusted his glasses as he ordered, _"Rotom, use Discharge!" _

The duel-type Pokémon obliged as the plasma membrane suddenly flared up, and began to form an orb of fire. Rotom then levitated the orb until it was floating in front of Espeon, who's name was Sybil. With a ghostly wail, he shot out of the orb of fire towards her.

Arata smirked. "Form a barrier with Shadow Ball and Psybeam."

Sybil deftly opened her maw and formed a Shadow Ball. She then shot the ball of dark energy upwards, about ten feet above her head. With the first phase of the defense move completed, the Espeon initiated the second phase by firing a multicolored beam from the gem on her forehead into the Shadow Ball. On cue, rainbow-colored beams erupted from the Shadow Ball and struck the ground around her. The streams of colorful beams then started to spin like a top and form a barrier around the psychic creature.

The effectiveness of Sybil's defensive move was proven as the barrier repelled Rotom's Discharge and sent the electric ball back towards the duel-type Pokémon.

"What a move!" Ayame blared. "Arata's Espeon has switched from defense to offense in an instant!"

Nouta's gaze hardened. He instructed, _"Rotom, absorb that electricity."_

The part duel-type Pokémon stayed still and allowed the sparks to come into contact with his light bulb-like body. Upon contact with his body, the sparks were absorbed into his body, causing it to glow bright yellow. The glow gradually died down and the plasma membrane around his body and lighting bolt structures became brighter and increased in size.

Ayame looked around and noticed that most of the spectators had confused looks plastered on their faces. He remedied the situation as he informed them, "It looks like Rotom's ability to use Charge has come into play, which is sure to increase the attack power of the next electrical attack."

Arata shook his head. "Not bad, but the battle is far from over," Noting the frown that found its way across Nouta's face.

Said trainer gritted his teeth, calling out his next command, _"Use Shadow Ball, Rotom!"_

Rotom's Pokémon's body suddenly became surrounded by light blue fireballs which was was mercilessly fired towards Arata's Espeon.

"Dig and then use Shadow Ball," The blonde man countered.

The Sun Pokémon immediately burrowed into the ground and narrowly avoided her opponent's fireballs. She immediately surfaced in front of Rotom and fired a Shadow Ball at point blank range. The super effective attack found its mark and the small ghost was blown backwards but still managed to stay afloat in the air.

_"Okay then, use Agility to get close, and then attack!"_ Nouta said.

Rotom deftly cloaked himself in electricity and speedily charged towards Sybil. The duel-type Pokémon slammed into the sun Pokémon who skidded backwards to Arata's half of the battlefield.

The bespectacled Pokémon trainer noticed that Sybil was shaking a little so he instructed, "Use Calm Mind,"

The psychic creature took a deep breath, closed her eyes and started humming. On cue, she was surrounded by a white light. A second later, the shaking had ceased and Sybil opened her eyes, looking rather revitalized. Plus, her Special Attack and Special Defense stats had been raised.

"Let's go on the offensive. Use Psybeam," Arata ordered softly.

The Espeon once again closed her eyes and started concentrating her energy. On cue, her body started to crackle with not yellow nor blue but pink sparks. With a determined cry, she unleashed a single bolt of psychic energy towards Rotom.

Nouta was stunned with the velocity of the attack. _"Dodge it, Rotom!"_

Rotom heeded his trainer's order as he quickly floated to the side and avoided the psychic attack. However, the attack managed to graze his body a little.

_"Nice one,"_ The black-haired boy complimented his partner.

"It's not over yet," Arata called out. "Sybil, kindly surprise our opponents."

Upon hearing her trainer's command, Sybil tapped into her psychic powers, making her eyes take on a blue glow. The bolt of psychic energy which was dodged by Rotom promptly took on a blue glow as well and executed an abrupt U-turn. Nouta was taken by surprise and could only watch as Rotom was shocked by the psychic equivalent of Charge beam. The duel-type Pokémon wailed in pain.

"Nice move!" Ayame praised. "Espeon manipulated the direction of her attack to cause massive damage to Rotom. Color me impressed!"

_"Stay strong, Rotom,"_ Nouta said in encouragement. _"Quickly, now, use Charge to power up!"_

The orbs on Rotom's eyes glow yellow, then his entire body became surrounded in yellow sparks.

"Ah, it seems that Nouta is beefing up his Rotom's electric-type moves," Ayame commented. "Is he thinking of ending this battle in one big move?"

The emcee's guess was spot on as Nouta commanded, _"End it with Discharge!"_

An instant after Nouta issued that command, Rotom's whole body became surrounded in a bright, yellow aura. The duel-type creature then released an enormous stream of sparks, which took on the towards Sybil. Despite the fact that a powered-up Discharge was inching ever so close to her, the sun Pokemon did not show any fear as she stood her ground and awaited her trainer's command.

"Wrest control of that Discharge with Psychic," Arata ordered firmly.

Sybil grew rather apprehensive after hearing her trainer's command. She was not sure whether or not her psychic powers are strong enough to stop an extremely powerful attack. She immediately ejected that thought from her mind.

_"Snap out of it, Sybil,"_ she mentally encouraged herself. _"I should have more faith in myself. I've been training just as hard as the main battlers. Arata is trusting me to win this battle and there is no way that I'm gonna let his trust in me go to waste."_

After her inner pep talk, her eyes settled upon the huge stream of electricity that was getting closer with each passing moment. Steeling herself, she started to channel her psychic energy around the attack through her eyes and the gem on her forehead. Gradually, the electric-type move became surrounded by a blue glow and though it was still on a direct collision with Sybil, everyone noticed that its speed was decreasing. Just when they thought Discharge would hit its target, it stopped, inches from the Espeon's face.

"N-No way," Nouta stammered in disbelief.

The spectators' gasps of surprise turned to roars of amazement. Frankly speaking, most of them never thought that it was even possible that such a powerful electric-based attack could actually be stopped by Psychic.

Ayame shared in the audience's giddiness as she astonishingly exclaimed, "I thought I've seen everything folks but this is simply amazing! Espeon is actually holding back one of the most powerful Fire-type moves using only her mind!" she then wondered aloud, "Now that Discharge is in Espeon's control, what is Arata's next course of action?"

"Shape that Discharge into a ball and launch it above the stadium," the blonde man commanded tonelessly.

Reshaping the sparks into a ball proved no arduous task for Sybil as she accomplished the feat effortlessly. The Espeon wasted no time as she wordlessly launched the ball of fire high into the air.

"What is he planning?" Nouta muttered, his brain filled with alertness.

Arata saw that the boy staring at him and simply flashed the boy a mocking smile. Very slowly, the he raised his right hand and snapped his fingers. On cue, the ball of fire that Sybil launched into the air exploded. As a result, multiple smaller spheres began their descent towards the battlefield.

"Unbelievable!" Ayame blared. "Espeon has managed to replicate a complete version of Draco Meteor using Rotom's Discharge. Now that's what you call 'innovation'!"

Nouta knew that his partner could absorb those spheres of energy since they were made of electricity but that would leave the duel-type exposed to the chunks of earth that would surely be shot into the air when the shards of electricity hit the ground. After weighing his options, the Entei student issued a command. _"Agility, Rotom!"_

Rotom immediately dodged the incoming attack. His reaction time was impeccable as a second later, the battlefield was bombarded with the spheres of energy. Dust and debris were blown up into the air, obscuring the audience's view of the battlefield. However, this proved to be a minor inconvenience as the smoke gradually dissipated. The battlefield was in a sorry state. Craters and boulders of various sizes littered the battlefield. The spectators were anxious to see the condition of the battlers.

The smoke had now lifted and the crowd gasped at the scene that greeted their eyes. Both Rotom and Sybil were fine. It was as if the mock Draco Meteor was purposely aimed at the battlefield. They had no idea just how right they were.

Nouta frowned. _"How strange,"_ he thought with uneasiness present within his mind. _"That attack spheres did not even come close to hitting Rotom. My team has destroyed their fair share of battlefields so I should understand his reasons for doing so. The sad fact is that I don't. I can't grasp this guy's way of thinking."_

"Now, Sybil," Arata spoke up, "Use Psychic on the rocks."

Sybil nodded as she once again tapped into her aura. Almost instantly, about two dozen rocks were surrounded by faint blue outlines as they were lifted by her mental powers. The Espeon, like her trainer, flashed her opponent a smirk before sending the first wave of rocks towards the Luring Pokemon.

The black eyes of Nouta widened in alarm. "Rotom, dodge those rocks and use Shadow Ball!" he shouted.

Though Rotom were not known for their speed, they were fast nonetheless. Nouta's Rotom frantically but successfully dodged the first wave of rocks and fired a Shadow Ball at his opponent. However, just before he could find his mark, a boulder intercepted the Shadow Ball and upon contact, both the Shadow Ball and the boulder exploded, thus canceling out the danger to Sybil. The duel-type was not given any time to bemoan his missed opportunity as Sybil sent another wave of boulders at him. This time, Rotom changed his strategy and fired multiple Shadow Balls at the psychic creature whilst dodging the rocks. Unfortunately, the Shadow Balls were once again intercepted by boulders controlled by Sybil.

"Rotom is displaying great dodging skills," the emcee noted. "How long can he keep this up?"

Some spectators cheered for Rotom, urging him to overcome the odds and surprise Sybil while some cheered against him, praying for it to get hit by the rocks.

The emcee and the audience got their answer almost immediately as a rock struck Rotom from behind, causing him to falter. Sybil grinned, knowing that Rotom's resistance was slowly crumbling. Pushing her psychic powers to the absolute limit, she surrounded the duel-type Pokemon with many boulders of different sizes. With a tired but determined cry, she launched the rocks towards him at the same time. Though Rotom managed to regain his composure, it was already too late. The rocks encompassed him, sealing his fate. Rotom's 'prison' was then surrounded by blue light as it mercilessly slammed onto the battlefield. However, before being nearly crushed, Rotom made sure to blast Espeon with one last multiple Shadow Ball. The force of the collision cracked open the rock 'prison' to reveal a battered Espeon and a near unconscious Rotom. The tried attacking each other once more, but failed, collapsing to ground from the lack of energy. First it was Sybil, closely followed by Rotom.

"Splendid battle!" the emcee cried gleefully. "I yearn for more action! What do you think, folks?" The crowd cheered wildly in response to the emcee's question.

Nouta took calming breath. He then duly returned his fallen Rotom back into his ball, plopping onto the ground exhaustion. More action? Battling was the last thing on his mind at the moment. His team had helped him win the match, and that was all that he needed.

Victini, who had wonder away during the battle returned to Nouta bearing a gift.

"_What's this?"_ he asked the duel-type creature, who smiled shoved a piece of paper into the boy's hands.

Victini had apparently drawn a picture of himself and Nouta. There was also a big smiling sun and a clear blue sky in the background. Thanking Victini for the gift, Nouta grinned petting the creature's small head, and praised him for it.

He looked at the picture once more. It was clear that Victini wanted join him, but the one question remained; how was he supposed to sneak a legendary into the academy?

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><p><strong>Credits: <strong>Both Okibi and Nouta belong to deltabeta26, who requested that his OC battle a character based on Street Fighter's Cody Travers.

**I stayed up all night rewriting this battle scene between these two characters, so I'm a little sleepy. I wanted to get this out last week, but I ended up erasing it and typing it all over again until I was finally satisfied with it.**

**I know this chapter was mainly OC-centric, but I thought it would a great idea to get know some of the OCs that have been submitted to this story since we haven't seen much of them. Also, this was the first legendary encounter of the series. You guys honestly thought it would be Naruto or one of the canon characters didn't you? Well, I decided to switch it up and have an OC (who belongs to one of my best readers) to encounter Victini. Plus, Victini being a small little guy, it really isn't overpowered like Palkia, Zerkrom, or any of the bigger legendary Pokémon. And who knows, I just might add in some more encounters before the season ends-maybe.**

**Oh, and for those wondering why most of Nouta's commands were in italic, it because he communicates with his team telepathically.**

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and don't forget to drop me review.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Here's another chapter, everyone...I am such a procrastinator because this was too long of an unofficial hiatus. But, I'm currently out for the summer, so I figured why not pick up where I left off? **

**Thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites, and alerts. It's really means a lot. Also, for those who remain within the tournament, eventually, your character has to lose in order for the story to progress. I apologize if your character is on the losing side, but in order for the story to progress, I'll need to eliminate some of the characters from the tournament. However, no character will go down without a fight. I guarantee that.**

**Oh, and don't forget to check out my newest story, Yōkai Institution. I accept OC(s) for that one, as well as Where Legends Cross. Enjoy the new chapter, everyone!**

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><p><em><strong>PokeQuest: Enter White Academy<strong>_

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_**Chapter Sixteen:**__ Bathhouse Blues._

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Imprisoned in a bluish oval-shaped contraption, there he was floating like a bubble; helpless and powerless to free himself. He was unaware of his current state as his mind drifted between the realms of reality and dream. He saw a version of himself wandering the shores of some unknown island, similar to shores of Apotos. The squawking of the wild Wingull and the swooshing of the sea on sand pleased his ears. He awed at the amazing art of the setting sun – blended hues of orange, gray, and violet filled the sky, for the sight was indeed a masterpiece not even the most talented of artist could recreate.

Sasuke walked in a strange manner, intentionally chafing the soles of his bare feet with the sandy shore. Feeling the sand and listening to its rustling sounds produced by his strange strutting – oh how wonderful it felt! Everything felt so real for the first time in…he lost count on how long it was…it didn't matter; he was alone and satisfied. He continued his walk when the sea swooshed in and covered his legs, but this time it had a different feeling and produced a different sound…the result was the same though; a sense of satisfaction.

Suddenly, everything came to a complete stop. The sounds of the beach, his walk, his satisfaction – all paused as if someone pressed the start button of a video game controller. Even his heart skipped a beat. And it was all because he noticed a familiar and ghostly figure standing in the distance, giving him the impression to come closer. He ran towards the figure like a madman. Everything felt and sounded twisted to him. An eerie chime replaced the sound of the seagulls and a frustrating feeling replaced his satisfaction as he kept running on the sand.

_Stupid sand, slowing me down!_ He thought as he was getting closer and closer…but when he got so close that he can clearly see the figure's face, he froze unwillingly. Soon after that, he started to fall into the black abyss. He reached for the figure's hand as he kept falling, but it was hopeless. As he fell into, Sasuke peered back at the figure. It looked familiar…but what was it? It didn't appear to be human and nor was it like any of the Pokémon he'd seen or read about. The young Uchiha closed his eyes as he slipped into darkness. He already knew the end result; he was to falling to his death, and the bottom was quickly approaching…

Not long after, Sasuke found himself wide awake within is bed. He gasped, and clutched his rapidly beating heart. His Dewott along with a very worried Karin sat at his bedside. Sasuke suddenly clutched his head. He felt as if he'd been hit by a Moo Moo Milk truck at high speed causing his head to throb with intense pain. Karin handed him a glass of water and an aspirin which Sasuke jubilantly took from her.

"Nurse Shizune told me to give this to you as soon as you woke up," she said. "Are you feeling any better?"

Sasuke shook his head slowly. "Not by much…" And then remembering that he was just being crowned as a King, he asked, "How did I get here…?"

"I'm not sure why, but you were lying on ground. Suigestsu and Juugo helped me carry you here," Karin answered.

Sasuke snorted. Lying on the ground? Is this how The People of Faith treated their king? Some subjects they were…

"But why you here?" He asked looking at the clock, decorated with a fire emblem, on the wall. It read 6:45 p.m. "I'm pretty sure I was out for hours."

Karin bit her lip and averted her gaze to the floor. In reality, she was hiding out just in case her father made a surprise visit to the academy because of the tournament. However, Sasuke didn't need to know that.

"Can't a girl worry about her boyfriend?" she replied with a smile making Sasuke flinched a little.

His first semester at academy was already heading towards its mid course. Exams would be approaching soon, which meant that there was more training and studying to do to keep up his grade point average. And then there was the tournament...

Sasuke sat the empty glass down and held his head in perplexity. Why…? He thought. Why in the world was time ticking away so fast? Just the other day, it seemed as though he and Oshawott were sailing from the Canalave Docks to the academy. Briefly peering up, he looked at Karin, who was handing him the same, but refilled glass of water. Sasuke muttered a simple "thanks" in return and took it from her.

Karin watched as Sasuke drunk the entire glass, admiring his features. This was something she had found herself doing since the day she first saw him. She found everything about him, even the tiniest strains of his hair simply perfect. At the same time, Karin would always find her face turning as red as her hair, but she just couldn't help it. She was in love with the young Uchiha, and wanted to spend as much time as she could with him.

Sasuke, on the hand, was very grateful that Karin had taken the time to help him, but…he just didn't need to be around her or anyone right now. He just wanted to be alone and collect his thoughts somewhere nice and quiet, like the shore line of Apotos. But, he was sure Karin would just follow him there…where could he go without having to be bothered by his…er, girlfriend…?

After giving the thought another moment, it hit him.

Sasuke sat the empty glass onto the nightstand again. Just as Karin went to fill it, he suddenly stood up. "I going to head to the bathhouse for a while,"

Yes, the bathhouse. That was how he could ditch Karin for a while. Like the dorms, the bathhouse area was of course, separate for the same reason.

"Are…are you sure?" Surprised by Sasuke's sudden burst of energy, Karin looked at him with concern.

"I'll be fine. The painkillers helped after all." He reassured her with a small smirk to which she just blushed and averted her gaze towards her feet.

"F-fine," she gave in after a short moment of silence. Who was she kidding? When Sasuke smiled at her, she was practically puddy in his hands. Looking up, Karin smiled back, despite her flushed face. "Just be sure to meet me and the others by the taiyaki stand when you're done, okay?"

If there was ever one thing that Karin's father absolutely hated, it was taiyaki. He loath the festive treat. In fact, he couldn't even stand the smell of it. Hanging around there should keep her safe for a while.

"Right," Sasuke nodded, and Karin had then grabbed her bag and left to meet with her friends. But not before giving Sasuke a small kiss on his right cheek. Placing his hand where he'd been kissed and smiled faintly. Then to Dewott, he said, "Let's go, Dewott."

Without any hesitation, and a quick stretch, the little otter followed his trainer to the bathhouse. He was curious to find out what exactly a bathhouse was.

While walking though about the creature he had seen in his dream. He's seen it once before, but where…? His Pokédex! He reached for the handy electronic and began flipping through all of the entries in it. Of course while looking through his Pokédex, Sasuke wasn't paying any attention to where he was going. As expected, he tripped. Fortunately, Sasuke landed on something soft that dissolved the impact. Shaking his head slightly, He noticed a Teddiursa and Herdier standing over him.

Herdier was the first to make an attempt to communicate with Sasuke. His barks were soft, but filled with concern as if to say, _"Eh...might I suggest you get up?"_

Teddiursa added in his two-cents by waving his arms wildly and shouting. _"Because Sakura-chan's gonna kill you!" _

Sasuke stared at the two Pokémon as if they were nuts before he realized what he landed on. Looking down, He noticed a familiar Entei student lying under him with a pissed off expression on her face. The young Uchiha felt a little awkward when he realized where his hands were positioned; they were on her breasts.

"You've done it now…" Blaze, who had been there the entire time sighed as Sasuke immediately jumped back with a flustered expression.

After brushing the dirt from her clothes, Sakura approached Sasuke, who's was still red from the moment earlier. Before he could attempt to apologize, Sakura slapped his cheek. The same cheek that Karin has kissed, leaving a bright-red hand print.

"Pervert…" Sakura muttered as she, Blaze, and her Pokémon walked away.

Dewott on the hand didn't know what to make of the scene that had just happened. He watched as Sakura stomped away and then glanced back at Sasuke who was holding his face wincing in pain. After a slight moment of silence, the medium sized otter burst out in laughter holding his sides.

Annoyed with the laughing Pokémon, Sasuke glared at him. "Shut it. And don't think I haven't noticed the way you look at Sakura's Skitty."

Now, it was Dewott's turn to glare at Sasuke. Of course it was true, but Dewott denied his trainer with a swift shake of his head and crossed arms.

"Yeah, right…" Sasuke merely rolled his eyes and picked himself and his Pokédex up from the ground, and continued on his way.

Sometime later, he arrived to the male bath-area despite the festivities going on outside around the public bath, inside, it was actually rather empty.

Sasuke looked around for other students, but saw no sign of them. What he did find that belonged to one Entei student was a half-opened locker with a bucket inside. The clothes were strewn about in a basket placed in one of the open shelves on the wall. Typical…it's no wonder the Entei students have such a bad rep. He left the key on the locker. What was the point of even using a locker when he used the open shelves?

Dewott just looked around the dressing room with a curious interest. It was huge…and there were a lot of lockers…what was this place? And why was it huge? Was that running water he just heard?

"_Wott~!"_ he said.

Dewott liked the sound of running water! And—why was Sasuke taking his sneakers off? Dewott blinked and looked up at the young Uchiha only to have his Trainer's jacket dropped right on him (unintentionally, of course!).

"_Dewott!"_ The otter Pokémon said in a slightly muffled voice.

Sasuke blinked and looked down at his Dewott as he started to take off his shirt. His Pokémon stirred under his jacket, obviously trying to find a way out from under it. It was a rather interesting sight to see…at least for Sasuke. He sighed and pulled off his shirt.

After a few seconds, that seemed much longer to Dewott, the Pokémon had managed to pop out from under his Trainer's jacket. He shook his head a few times and looked up at his Trainer, his gaze now focusing on something that had caught his attention. Sasuke was wearing a strange amulet…the same amulet that all of those brainwashed students wore. But this one seemed much bigger in size, and value.

_Where did Sasuke get that?_ Thought Dewott. _That creepy man must have gave it to him!_

Dewott waved his arms around to try and get his Trainer's attention.

"_Wott!"_ he exclaimed. _"Dewott!"_

Sasuke blinked and looked down back at his Pokémon, who was currently pointing to his neck. His Dewott was obviously trying to tell him something. By the look of his expression, he was rather concerned. Sasuke blinked as he noticed the otter was pointing at his neck…but all Sasuke around his neck, was the amulet—

Immediately, the trainer resisted the urge to slap his hand on his forehead. Of course that's why his Dewott looked concerned…he thought about Sakon and Ukon and all the brainwashed students. Well, that was rather nice to know that Dewott would worry over his well-being. Though, now that just leaves one problem…how would Sasuke explain his predicament to him and the others? The young Uchiha sighed and placed his clothes with one of empty lockers. This was going to take a while and not to mention, it was also going to be embarrassing as Dewott was still staring at him.

Meanwhile in the female bathing area, Sakura's Pokémon were having the time of their lives, especially Skitty. Despite her hatred of water (this happened to not apply to hot or warm water), lounging around in the petrified water was fun. This was proved to be true when Pansear poured a bucket full of warm water over himself and Skitty to wash from their fur. Skitty didn't flinch at the sensation of the hot water pouring over her body. She seemed to actually enjoy this, a real nice change from the cold salty water from the beach.

Pansear shook his head to shake the water off his head. _Fwah! That…felt nice… _he thought with a grin. Skitty shook herself a few times before smiling herself.

The sight of both her team and Sakura's Pokémon getting along made Blaze chuckle—it was for the best really, since they were contest partners.

Blaze had just turned her head only to find that sitting next to her in front of one of the washing stations next to hers was Sakura, who was grumbling to herself about the meeting she had with Sasuke earlier as she turned on the hot water faucet to fill up a bucket with water. Teddiursa, curiosity getting the better of him, was currently messing with the shower head in front of her. Somehow, he had managed to turn the shower head on and, as luck would have it, Teddiursa was messing with the temperature settings. As a result, cold water sprayed all over Sakura, causing her to flail a bit at first before falling back off her stool. Blaze winced at hearing the impact Sakura had on the tiled floor with her head.

"_That _had_ to hurt…" _shethought Blaze.

"Gah!" yelped Sakura.

Blaze sighed and looked at the pink-haired girl before turning over to Teddiursa, who was rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.

"Ursa…" the bear cub replied quietly.

"Grr…I'm so mad that I can't see straight! _Stupid Sasuke..._" Sakura sat up and rubbed the back of her head. She looked at the show head rather miffed.

Sakura had then sighed and looked at her Pokémon as he walked over to her. Teddiursa kept going until he was right next to her and looked up at her with an apologetic expression. With a small smile, Sakura petted the top of his furry head to show that she understood. Sakura had then grabbed her towel and made her way towards the bathtub. All she wanted to do now was finish taking her bath, get out, change back into her clothes, and see how Rector was doing at the infirmary.

Blaze was sitting in the large bathtub with Heatmor and Pignite, her body submerged in the hot water from the chest down. Her towel was folded neatly and was laid upon her head, damp from the bath's hot water. Pansear resided within a bucket full of hot water that Blaze held in her arms. It wasn't because was too small and was actually incapable of swimming, no. Pansear simply loved the idea of bathing in his own personal hot tub. Blaze noticed this from the start, much to Pansear's delight.

"This feels nice, doesn't it?" Blaze asked.

"Pan, Pansear…" While Pignite and Heatmor simply nodded, Pansear sighed dreamily to answer his trainer.

A slight disturbance in the water, followed by a small, but audible splash, caused them to snap out of their dream-like state. They turned to see that Teddiursa had just jumped into the bath. Sakura followed after as she slowly sat down into the tub. The pink-haired trainer sighed and began to fold her towel neatly before placing it on top of her hair. Herdier passed by her, floating gently in the water on his back. He liked this place…it was like a lake, only the water was warm and there were weird contraptions that sprayed water.

Blaze looked at Sakura, as she tried to figure out a way to break the awkward silence between them. "Sasuke got was coming to him, you know…" she said softly.

Sakura looked down. "Yeah…? Well, I feel guilty about it."

Blaze frowned. "You shouldn't be too hard on yourself. It'll only interfere with your contest performance tomorrow, so try and relax."

Sakura shrugged. "Yeah…you're right."

Sakura sunk further into the herbal water relaxing the best she could. Losing to Karin and being dropped from the contest portion of the tournament was the last thing she wanted.

"Pan!" exclaimed Pansear.

Blaze and Sakura turned to Pansear. He was struggling to keep the bucket he was in from capsizing. It was rather hard and luckily, Herdier had Pignite to keep him from overturning. After a few seconds, Pansear let out a sigh and thanked the two of them.

Blaze laughed awkwardly. "Sorry, Pansear."

Said Pokémon just smiled and nodded at her. He knew she didn't mean to.

"So…what do you think is going on the other side?" asked Sakura.

Blaze shrugged and placed her towel over her face. "Their boys. They're most likely being themselves that's for sure…"

_o_

_o_

_o_

_"It is said that the great founders of Unova were once a single Dragon Pokémon of both strength and wisdom. The twin heroes of legend, in order to create the Unova region, tamed the magnificent beast, bringing prosperity to both people and Pokémon alike. However, the brothers each sought something different in life—truth for the older brother and ideals for the younger. They began to argue, and then fight over whose side was stronger. The single dragon, torn by their truths and ideals, split into two separate Pokémon: Reshiram, who sided with the older twin, and Zekrom, who sided with the younger twin._

_A fierce clash ensued between the two dragons, but they were equally matched, and neither conquered the other. The resulting violence disturbed the peace, and in response, the twins set aside their differences, recognizing there was no right side. But the sons of the heroes resumed the fight years later, and Reshiram and Zekrom, once forces of good, destroyed the region with their immense fire and lightning powers. They subsequently disappeared afterward, and no one has seen trace of them since._

_It's thought that the dragons may one day return to resume their battle, but only when and if new heroes are born to accompany them..."_

"Nouta, can you please stop? You've read that passage so many times over the last half-hour that it's become painfully engraved into my brain…"

The young man in question raised an eyebrow at his older friend, who was lounging in the academy's bath house with a towel over his head. With a small sigh, Nouta flipped the neat hardcover book in his lap closed, standing to return it to the small stand near the large bath. "If you don't like it, then the academy shouldn't keep it out for me to read, Ryuga."

Ryuga tossed the towel aside and blew irritably at a stray azure lock of his hair, fingers lingering to play with the brim of the towel sitting loosely atop his head. Groaning, he said, "That fable is for little kids…I've outgrown it. Plus, I'm pretty sure Tsunade-sama is just too lazy to get rid of it."

"I find it quite interesting, actually." Nouta adjusted his glasses, their lenses refracting the light of the room. "There are many stories of legendary Pokémon creating the regions of the world. I believe Hoenn has tales revolving around Kyogre and Groudon, and Sinnoh has Palkia and Dialga. Of course, these Pokémon are mostly of myth, not fact."

Ryuga brushed the stray locks of his hair once more. "…Then why does it interest you? You're one of the most logical Entei student I know."

The black haired boy simply shrugged. "Shows how powerful Pokémon might be. I doubt we can ever truly understand their limits."

Ryuga's crimson gaze studied him briefly before traveling back to the clock for what had to be the hundredth time. _Thorn's __**still**_ _not here…_he thought dryly.

"Hey, guys,"

Nouta and Ryuga's heads spun towards the bath house door, seeing Thorn standing there. He held a large cylinder-shaped container in his arms, which held two eggs. The first was a white egg with light green Victorian swirls all around it. Next to it was a green egg similar in size with dark blue speckles on its surface.

"Thorn, are those…" Ryuga asked quietly, already half-knowing.

The green-haired fellow smiled looking down at the container in his arms. "Yep, they're Serpieor and Odin's children. Nurse Shizune says that it'll be a while before they hatch, and I should wait at least two weeks before attempting to send Serpieor into battle." He briefly peered at the Cherish Ball on his belt which contained his beloved Serpieor as he spoke.

"Well it's not all bad," Ryuga stood up and stretched his arms. "You still have Odin to battle with, so my team and I won't have to pick most of your slack," he joked, grinning.

Thorn smirked at him. "Very funny," and then he said, "I'll switch up my tactics for the next round and go with my backup plan."

"Wow, so these are Odin's kids, huh?" The herbal aroma of the bath water Nouta's nose as he inspected the two eggs before him—every once in a while, they would shake slightly. "Let's see…" The Entei student searched his bag for a book, a light hum passing through his lips as he flipped through the pages.

Nouta's Buneary, envious of the future hatchlings, sulked with her mouth agape, soon flailing her limbs and hopping indignantly up and down in a tantrum. With a wily smirk, Volcano, Ryuga's Typhlosion waved his paws in a taunt, almost baiting the rabbit for a fight. Buneary lunged at the large mammal, and Nouta had to step in to prevent the two Pokémon from tussling by drawing his Buneary into his lap, saying, "Now, now, Buneary…you need to behave."

Crossing her arms, the Normal-type huffed and ranted, "Bun! Bun! Bun—eary! Buneary!"

"You obviously haven't been training enough if she _still_ hasn't evolved yet, Nouta," Ryuga pointed out. "You're far past the estimated time it should have taken for that stage of growth."

The Entei ranked student frowned a little. "If you're so great, what new Pokémon do you have? Or are Poseidon and Volcano all you have?"

Ryuga looked at him, unfazed, and replied, "For your information, Volcano and my Solaris have son. As for new Pokémon, their technically not new, but I do plan on using my Haxorus and Lucario in the next round. Oh, and I just caught a Frillish yesterday."

"Frillish?" Nouta knew Jellicent well enough after traveling to the Humilau City Aquarium, but not the former Pokémon as much. He could have sworn he'd heard of it somewhere, perhaps on television or from one of Kakashi's lectures, but there were also many Pokémon he couldn't familiarize with by name alone.

"It's a dual Water and Ghost-type whose appearance varies with its gender," Ryuga clarified.

"Gender differences…interesting…" Nouta shuffled through the functions of his Pokédex to research the Pokémon for himself, the device presenting him with two different images—one pink and one blue. "Which do you have?"

"The male variant; it's blue with a taller crown. I see…Okay, I guess that's a pretty cool Pokémon," he admitted casually, returning his Pokédex to its place.

Buneary plopped down on the deck in a sulky manner, as she grumpily puffed out her cheeks. "Bun…"

It was strange really, Entei and Suicune students getting along and treating each equally. As ridiculous as it sounded, the academy was separated for a reason; the first, being age differences. The second would be because of rank. Since Entei students, like Nouta were among the youngest and lowest-ranked, so most of the other students tend to avoid, and even shun them. Nouta briefly glanced at Thorn and Ryuga's pendants as the two of them say goodbye to him and Buneary and left the bathing area. How lucky they were he thought, to be one of them—to have the best dorm, the best of all ranks—to be adored by everyone. But even they were at Entei rank once.

Speaking of Entei ranked, Nouta suddenly noticed a familiar face on the other side of the large bath. It was none other than Uchiha Sasuke himself.

Nouta looked at the raven-haired young man. Was he there before? "Hm…"

Sasuke looked questioningly at him, obviously wondering why Nouta was staring at him.

Nouta blinked a few times and immediately sat up straight. "Hold on…Where did you come from?" asked he. _"Wait…that was a stupid question to ask…"_

Nouta cleared his throat. "Let me rephrase that…how long have you been there?"

Sasuke blinked. "I just got here,"

Nouta looked at him and nodded. "Okay…Hey, is that a Dewott?"

Sasuke looked at Dewott who was currently playing around with one of the shower heads. "Yeah…I take it you've seen one before?"

"Yes, and when Buneary and I arrived, there was girl with pink hair and her friend muttering about someone with a Dewott angering her…" said Nouta.

_Pink hair...that was Sakura...!_ Sasuke blinked in realization. Then he turned to Nouta with a serious expression. "Do you know if she's still here or not?"

Nouta shrugged. "Most likely not. Her friend was dragging her in by force, and from her expression, she look as if she wanted to leave as soon as possible."

"Dewott, come on. We're leaving," Sasuke suddenly stood up, heading within the direction of the locker room to change back into his clothes. Sad that his bathhouse adventure had come to end, Dewott followed his trainer with any hesitation.

Nouta looked slightly concerned as he watched Sasuke leave. _"That girl was pretty angry…I wonder if he should be going after her?"_

"_But then again…if that girl gets the best of Sasuke, then it'll be once less trainer that I have to worry about…"_ Nouta smiled to himself placing a hand on his chin.

Noticing this, Buneary smirked herself. The tournament had not only bought out her trainer's competitive side, but his devious side as well. Secretly, she hoped that she would get see more of this side of Nouta as their team progressed to the upcoming semi-finals.

**TBC...**

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><p><strong>Hope you guys are still enjoying the story so far! Nothing really happened in the chapter. But, it's nice to have a chapter that doesn't include battling and just character interaction. Writing these battles has been really tiring for me, so I hope this one turned out well for everyone. We'll catch up with Naruto and others in the next chapter. On a side note, if you thinking about submitting an OC to me please post it in my forum instead of messaging me with the profile. The link is at the top of my profile and is called "OC Submissions".<strong>

**Anyways, I still look forward to any reviews from you guys, as always! I love getting them in my inbox. They're like little presents in the form of e-mails. Way better than a notice from Facebook or the endless amounts of spam I get, trust me. XD ****~ Rain**


	17. Announcment and Teaser

**...it feels strange coming back to this story after so long. Honestly, the combination of Naruto and Pokémon hasn't crossed my mind until recently, when I picked up my copy of Alpha Sapphire and started playing it. After getting to a good stopping point, I decided to turn on my computer, plug in my flash drive and do a little writing. It didn't go so well to be honest. **

**I wanted to write, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. So, I figured I'd do a little editing to the older chapters. I started reading from the first chapter up until my last update, and honestly, there's a lot of work to be done on this story. I mean A LOT. I know it can't be perfect, but I can at least go back and fix up my grammar for everyone, old and new to this series.**

**So, to sum up everything that I said before, I'm going to do some heavy, heavy, editing on this story. But, that doesn't mean I'll just leave you wonderful, wonderful readers who stuck it out for me and waited oh so patiently for updates, no. Below, is a little teaser (or spoiler if you want to call that) of what's to come in future chapters. **

**A big thank you to everyone who voted in the poll and I sincerely hope that you enjoy the teaser! **

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><p>He'd thought those pesky beings had learned not to disturb him, but even a legendary's superior intellect must falter on occasion. The proof was in the young blonde standing before him.<p>

Silly, delusional humans, Mewtwo thought with a shake of his head. The poor boy must have been no older than thirteen, yet he dared to enter the labyrinth. Does he wish a battle, Mewtwo thought eyeing the shiny red and white object in the boy's hand.

His gaze hardened as a blast of light released a opposing Pokémon. _Fine, then._ _If a battle is what he desires, then a battle he will get!_

The trainer glared as he approached the psychic type slowly with his partner. How arrogant must these humans be to feel confident enough to glare in the face of Mewtwo?

"We don't have to fight...just release my friends and we'll be on our way." The poor, delusional boy stated earnestly. "Promise."

Friends? Mewtwo grunted. This boy, like every other human wanted to defy him for their own selfish purposes. He fired off an Aura Sphere in the trainer's direction to show exactly how plausible friendship was.

"Fine, I'll battle you," The trainer exclaimed with a determined glint in his sapphire eyes. "And when I win, I _will_ you release them. _All_ of them."

Mewtwo narrowed his eyes. He had considered holding back against this child, but that comment, "you _will_ release them", had eliminated any and all possibility of that. This moon struck boy would receive his full extent of his deadly power.

The Ivysuar the boy had sent out earlier was commanded to use Petal Dance. Thrice it struck and thrice Mewtwo darted out of the way with skill, grace, and precision. The attack left his Ivysaur dizzy and demented as her trainer, which Mewtwo hardly thought possible.

Seeing it as an opening, Mewtwo used his Psycho Cut to dispose of his weaker foe. The blade of psychic energy struck the grass and poison duel-type down at once and her trainer ran to her and recalled his comrade.

"Athena!" The pokémon answered feebly, likely to show her vitality. "Good, you're still okay...take a rest while the others and I win this thing."

He petted his Ivysaur happily before returning her to her pokeball, or circular prison as Mewtwo saw it. As the trainer sent out his next pokémon, a Zoroark, Mewtwo prepared his Aura Sphere with all his power.

He disposed of all the boy's feeble companions as swiftly as his Ivysaur, falling either to Psycho Cut or Aura Sphere. Because of this, the psychic pokémon nearly started to rue the pain he had caused to these helpless, innocent creatures. However, a fight was a fight. If they chose a foolish path and take the side of a human, then so be it.

"This is it," The trainer clutched his sole remaining pokeball like a lifeline to the yellow blazer he wore. "We've got to make this one count!" he practically shouted as he tossed it onto the makeshift battlefield.

A Gengar. That was his strongest partner. Mewtwo nearly fainted from laughter. That poor human was beaming at Gengar as if he were a fellow legendary, and the poor being himself was grinning arrogantly and bearing a victory headband of some sort.

However, just by looking at him, the psychic pokémon could tell both the Gengar and his trainer believed the shadow Pokemon to be powerful. Perhaps it had to do with pride and not wanting to lose a legendary, but it may have been because he was on the same wavelength as his pesky trainer...

Mewtwo decided to end this "strongest partner" with his favorite attack, Thunderbolt, knowing it would end this battle.

The opposing trainer closed his eyes and concentrated, his Gengar stood next to him patiently.

After a moment, he opened her eyes filled with energy moments before the Thunderbolt hit. "Ready, Yokai?"

The duel-type growled in readiness, and the battle immediately began as the trainer activated his Mega Ring. The Gengar's body shined in a bright light as he changed form. "Gar!"

Mewtwo look on in amusement at the shadow creature. How interesting, he thought. That Gengar appeared stronger, both mentally and physically.

Maybe this was a battle worth while after all.

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><p><strong>TBC...<strong>

**And that's it for the teaser. Since my computer crashed, I have to do all of writing with Microsoft App online. It's a little annoying, but better than having nothing! And, as much I would love to write the entire battle out, I can't do that. Not until the official chapter is out at least. And of course, the official one will explain everything until this point with more detail. But if you're itching to read more of my crossover work, feel free to check out Where Legends Cross.**

**Once again, I can't thank you all enough for supporting this story, and I shall do my very best to improve it as much as possible! :) - Rain**


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